Johnson, 21, registered 11 goals and 10 assists in 43 games during the 2015-16 season as he helped the University of North Dakota to the NCAA National Championship. He led the team this season in faceoff wins (394) and faceoff percentage (.549). The 11 goals scored in his junior season matched his collegiate career high set during the 2014-15 season. That year, he scored a career high 24 points (11G, 13A) in 42 games. Over his three-year collegiate career, he finished with 30 goals and 36 assists in 127 career games—including four games with two goals. The Grand Forks, N.D. native was named to the NCAA Midwest Regional all-tournament team in 2016 and 2015 after scoring goals in five of his six tournament games played during that time.

Johnson, who was selected by Chicago in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2013 National Hockey League, played two seasons (2011-12 and 2012-13) with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League where he tallied 101 points (39G, 62A) over 112 games. He was named to the USHL/NHL Top Prospects team in each of his two seasons with Lincoln. A graduate of Grand Forks (N.D.) Central High School, Johnson played hockey as a freshman (2009-10) and sophomore (2010-11) and helped his team to a state title while picking up all-state honors in his sophomore season.