How Reid Johnson Went from Zero to the VHLM

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Born in the lobby of the King's Inn Motel in Kennebec, South Dakota, Reid Johnson started life out rough. His father was an alcoholic and his mother was a drug addict. After leaving the house at 8 years old, Johnson moved to Chicago and became homeless, only carrying roller blades and his wallet with $40 inside. Everyday, when the sun came up, he would strap on his roller blades and skate through downtown, catching the eyes of a young coach of the Chicago Mission 8U team. A couple days later, Coach Fliberknackle found Reid sleeping under a bench near the Northwest side of Chicago, and approached him. After talking to Reid for a while, he stated that he noticed Reid's excellent stride and quickness, and asked if Reid would like to join the Chicago Mission 8U team free of charge. Reid agreed, and joined his first hockey team, sparking a strong journey ahead of him.

 

Starting at center for the 8U team, Reid established himself as a strong skater, however, his stick handling skills lacked, and he couldn't put the puck in the net or on another teammate's stick. Fliberknackle, noticing his struggles and the team on a 4-game skid, he needed to make a change to improve the team's defense. He eventually moved Reid back to defense, and his development and production skyrocketed as a matter of it. The team knocked off team after team, and Reid was not only shutting down the opposition on defense, but he was also a threat at the blue line. After Fliberknackle helped Reid's puck handling and shot, his numbers took a large jump. Reid netted 12 goals and 45 assists in 35 games at the 8U level, and drew attention from teams around the area. While his team fell short at the USA National Championships in Detroit, he had one goal in mind: make it back and win it all.

 

Making the 10U team the next year, Reid became a 1st line Dman for Coach Richards's team. He not only lit up the competition, college scouts and NHL scouts started to take notice. Reid potted 18 goals and 51 assists in 40 games. Scouts from the University of Minnesota, University of North Dakota, University of Notre Dame, and the University of Denver started to contact Reid, who was now living with former coach Fliberknackle in downtown Chicago. NHL scouts were naming him a top 5 lottery pick for the 2021 NHL Draft. He lead his 10U team to a 28-2 record, and attended the 2013 USA National Championships in Los Angeles. Chicago took down top teams in their division, and ended up winning the championship game over the LA Jr Kings, 4-2. 

 

Fast forwarding to 2018, Reid was playing for the 16U Chicago Mission, a powerhouse team that many considered to sweep at the National Championships in Dallas. During an exhibition game against Compuware, Reid was battling in the corner with another player, when he was checked into the boards and twisted his left knee, screaming in pain. Coaches and trainers rushed onto the ice, but Reid was so in pain that 911 was called and he was rushed to the hospital. Doctors confirmed that Reid had torn his ACL and MCL, requiring him to have surgery. He missed the rest of the season, and missed most of the next year after that. Due to all of the missed time, Reid lost most of his offers for college, and dropped to the 6th round in most NHL mock drafts. With his reputation ruined, he went to work again to showcase that he still has the talent.

 

Reid played one final season for the Chicago Mission U18 team and didn't perform like he had in his younger years, only putting up 5 goals and 10 assists. He eventually dropped out of the NHL draft conversation and seemed like his career was over. However, he had discovered that another league was calling: the VHL. Similar to the AHL or ECHL, the league was made to help players who may need a next step to get them to the professional levels. Reid was selected 24th overall by the Royals in the Junior Showcase Tournament for the VHL, a tournament to prove to VHLM teams that you have what it takes to compete at the next level. While he may not have gotten a lot of time to showcase his talent, he put up 1 goal and 4 assists in 9 games, not a horrible statline. His talents and player interviews were good enough to put him in the Season 84 VHLM draft.

 

Reid was selected in the 3rd round (25th overall) to the Las Vegas Aces, a team enriched with success and strong leaders. So far, in 24 games, Reid has put up 2 goals and 14 assists. Though he may need a year or two to develop into the player he once was, he has the chip on his shoulder to become the best defenseman in the league.