Rumor: Stephen Johns is making an NHL comeback.

A huge surprise for the Dallas Stars.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 4 years ago
Rumor: Stephen Johns is making an NHL comeback.
Daniel Lea/CSM/Zuma

This may seem like an impossible story and that is because for a long time it seemed like that was in fact the case. 

As every fan of the Dallas Stars will already know the team has been without veteran defenseman Stephen Johns for as long as anyone can remember, in reality it has been 109 National Hockey League games but who's counting, and the expectation amongst nearly every member of that fan base was that Johns would never again play another NHL game. Johns of course was diagnosed with post traumatic headaches and missed all of the 2018 - 2019 NHL season and then some as a result of his condition, with no signs of any real improvement for those left on the outside looking in. At least that was the case until now. 

In truly stunning report from Dallas Stars insider Sean Shapiro it has now been revealed that the likelihood of Johns returning to the NHL is not only likely, it seems almost a certainty at this point. According to Shapiro's report on Saturday morning Johns has been medically cleared to participate in practice with his teammates for the first time in well over a year, and today he did just that. Shapiro reports that Johns was a full participant in practice for the Dallas Stars which was obviously a huge step forward, although Johns had previously skated prior to today's big announcement. 

Perhaps even more surprising than the sudden and drastic change in Johns health however was the fact that, according to Shapiro, the talented defenseman was paired up with Taylor Fedun today and did not appear to look out of place on the ice. When you consider just how long he has been sidelined as a result of his injury it is truly shocking to learn that he can still compete at an NHL level, even if it is only in practice and not in an actual game setting. 

According to Stars head coach Jim Montgomery Johns is taking steps toward playing in the NHL again, although he did caution that there was still a ways to go before he's ready to play in a live game once again. This would truly be a miraculous comeback if Johns can complete it, and it sounds like he is already well on his way to doing so.

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