When Huskies forward Andrew Johnson decided to come and play for his hometown University of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey team, he hoped for some success. But even he couldn’t have expected this kind of red-hot start.

Through the first six games of his Canadian Interuniversity Sport career, Johnson has tallied six goals and three assists, good enough for first place in the Canada West scoring race. Oh, and the Huskies are a perfect 6–0.

“A lot of the credit has to go to Dave and the coaching staff. I’ve been getting the opportunities and they’ve let me play with confidence and just play my game; my linemates have helped too. Between Bauml, Cable and Dave, it’s been an easy transition,” Johnson said.

After growing up and playing minor hockey in Saskatoon, Johnson’s hockey career took him on quite the journey. After finishing up a two-year career with the Saskatoon Contacts in the midget AAA league, Johnson went to play with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League. The Warriors drafted him 23rd overall in the 2009 WHL draft and he played 159 games with the club before being traded.

In the final year and a half of his WHL career, he played for the Swift Current Broncos and the Seattle Thunderbirds, but he could never land a prominent role with any of these teams. At the beginning of the 2014–15 season, Johnson decided to play in the British Columbia Hockey League with the West Kelowna Warriors and it was there that he rediscovered his confidence. He had 44 points in just 46 games with West Kelowna, a mark he never hit with any team in the WHL.

As he starts a new chapter with the Huskies, Johnson is thankful for the other opportunities he had, which helped him become a better hockey player.

“[It helped] just building upon getting your overall game better. You learn a really structured game, you learn how to play as a team and that definitely carries over into the CIS,” Johnson said.

Although his hockey career has taken him all over Western Canada, and even into the United States, the decision to come play for the U of S was an easy one.

“It’s a great program. If you look at the names that have come through here — and I’m familiar with a lot of them, so that helps. They have a great coaching staff and have had a lot of success. Being in my hometown too, it was a pretty easy decision,” Johnson said.

Even with Johnson and the Huskies off to a phenomenal start, he isn’t getting too far ahead of himself. With some difficult match-ups coming up on the schedule, Johnson knows the team has to be focused and ready to play each and every game.

“Personally, I just like to take it one game at a time. We’ve got off to a good start and that’s something to be proud of, but at the same time we have to erase it and get ready for the next weekend.”

Aside from hockey, Johnson likes to relax in his downtime; he is an avid guitar player and loves to fish. Old country is his favourite style of music, with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson being two of his favourite artists.

Playing with the Huskies also means Johnson will have to adapt to becoming a student-athlete. Currently enrolled in the College of Arts and Science, he plans on transferring to Edwards School of Business next year.

Although Johnson is eager to start his post-secondary education and move into the next stage of his life, the Huskies hockey program is definitely part of his future plans. Following this season, Johnson will still have four more years of eligibility with the Dogs and he plans on using them all.

“It’s a great program and to see all the fifth-years that stay and they have nothing but great things to say. I’m looking forward to it.”