Concord second grader verbally commits to play for the EHS Boys’ Varsity Hockey Team

The moment Timmy Johnson, a second grade student attending Concord Elementary School, started playing hockey before he could walk, his parents knew he was destined for greatness. It was natural for Timmy who verbally committed to play for the EHS Boys’ Varsity Hockey Team.

“I laced him up in some child skates I bought on supremehockey.com and put him on the two-acre artificial rink in my basement. As soon as he started gliding out there, I saw a young Alexander Ovechkin,” Timmy’s father, Dan Johnson, said. After it became clear Timmy was born to play hockey, his parents began training him for his future in the sport. 

Even though Timmy is a natural on the ice, he puts in the work to take his game to the next level. He currently attends hockey training for four hours a day to further develop his skills. “We never saw him excel in the classroom from an early age, so we believed this was his best chance to make something of himself,” Dan Johnson said. Unfortunately, Timmy is no longer able to see his family on Tuesdays and Thursdays because his family takes NHL prospect support classes.

 Edina hockey coach Burt Kyle first noticed young Timmy when he was at Braemar Arena scouting his future team. “The kid was a real stud. I mean the kid had skills I’ve been trying to teach my boys for years. I saw his potential and had to secure him for my future squad. I didn’t want Blake or Evil Prairie stealing him from our program,” Kyle said. Kyle met with Timmy’s parents and offered him a spot on the roster once he is an eligible freshman at the high school. In order to not get scouted by other schools, Kyle offered Timmy a reserved parking spot once he gets his license and a one-of-a-kind unlimited frozen yogurt card for the school cafeteria. “That fro-yo card sounded fun. I am excited to get frozen yogurt desserts for all my friends. But, my mom said I need to eat all my veggies first,” Timmy said. 

Formally announcing his verbal commitment on March 25, the school hosted a photo opportunity for him and his family to celebrate. Local news outlets like SportsOuter and Planet-Tribune were in attendance and reported on Timmy’s decision for a national audience. The Edina High School Boys’ Varsity Hockey Team is already preparing for the 2027 season by naming the locker room “Timmy’s Place” and putting life-size pictures of Timmy around the school. 

With Timmy already projected as the number one pick in the 2031 NHL draft, he has a bright future ahead of him beyond South View Middle School and EHS. Because of Timmy’s athletic potential, the Edina Athletic Department has started a district recruiting team dedicated to analyzing youth active in Edina sports in order to expand the program and begin more serious future planning.