Undrafted rookie right wing Marc Johnstone(26) signs a 1-year ECHL deal with Newfoundland Growlers for 2021/2022.
He only managed to get in 6 games with South Carolina Stingrays, recording 2 assists for 2020/2021’s completely weirdo hockey season before being released.
This came after the former two-time captain of Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ forward graduated, having potted point-per-game numbers (6-10-16) in 16 Atlantic Hockey games as a senior.
He was always a good scorer at school, coming in after a decent 2nd showing with Chicago Steel that exploded in playoff run for 3 goals and 12 assists in 14 USHL games en route to the 2017 Clark Cup Championship.
The Cranford, NJ native was also captain of this club.
At 25-years old and having seen him play, we feel he may just be getting started for some attention.
Through 46 games as a rookie, he has scored 7 and assisted on 13 for 20 points to earn notice and a recall from parent club, Toronto Marlies.
For 2022/2023, he doesn’t need to look far, as he’s given a new AHL deal to continue.
He scores 9 goals and 13 assists in 69 games and catches the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins, who sign him to a 2-year, 2-way NHL deal through 2024/2025.
In 21 games with the affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he has 2 goals and 3 assists, but mostly we feel it’s his style of play earns him a 1st game in the big league for Christmas 2023.
He skated 10 shifts for 7:19 ice time, dished 2 hits and took 1 face-off successfully in a 3-1 loss.
Reassigned, he scores 3 goals and 6 assists, but is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 2-year minor league deal with Toronto Marlies.