Dynamic duo: How Nill and McDonnell make the most of the NHL Draft

One of best examples of that came with the Johnston pick. The pandemic shut down the OHL in Johnston’s draft year, so he was only seen in one international tournament as a 17-year-old. However, McDonnell had a strong book on Johnston from his 16-year-old season, and he had a gut feeling. Because Johnston had just 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 53 games in his rookie OHL season, there wasn’t that much buzz. But McDonnell trusted his gut and Nill trusted McDonnell. The two had a long discussion about Johnston and where he might go, and McDonnell told Nill he could trade down and still get Johnston. So, Dallas sent the 15^th pick to Detroit and got the 23^rd, 48^th and 138^th picks. Preparation met opportunity.