Arizona State is a program that is still in its infancy. They play their home games in a community rink that seats a couple hundred. That hasn’t deterred them from a 10-3-0 home record. It also hasn’t stopped sophomore forward Johnny Walker from tearing it up this season.
Arizona State is currently ranked 17th (USCHO) with an impressive 16-9-1 record. Johnny Walker, a native of Phoenix, AZ, leads the Sun Devils with 27 (19 G, 8A) points in 25 games played. He’s tallied four game-winners and eight goals on the power play. In short, the kid’s a stud.
More importantly, he’s leading his hometown boys during their transition from the ACHA to an NCAA powerhouse. Arizona State needed a guy like Walker to be a stud. He’s not a transplant from Michigan or Minnesota, he’s a local guy. The best player for the Sun Devils is one of their very own.
Reminiscing…
The other Arizona boy to reach stardom skipped college and junior hockey altogether. Auston Matthews AKA The Big Cactus opted to play professionally in Europe during his draft year. If the Sun Devils were a viable option, would we have gotten to see Matthews in the Desert for a season before he struck stardom with the budding Maple Leafs? As unlikely as it may have been, it would have been great for college hockey.
As it stands, Walker is undrafted. He’ll most likely play his last two years at Arizona State and have a good group of teams to pick from as a free agent. Johnny Walker continuing to tear it up in college then cashing a couple checks in The Show would be monumental for Arizona State Hockey. Hell, maybe the next Auston Matthews might stay on the West Coast and play for his hometown school before he makes it big in the NHL.