1978 NHL Draft
Jay Johnston in the 1978 NHL Draft
Washington Capitals selected Jay Johnston 45th overall in the 1978 NHL Draft, with the 9th pick of round 3.
It was the sixth of the 19 picks Washington Capitals made in the draft. Of the 234 players selected in 1978, 95 have played in the NHL regular season. His 8 games put him 80th in the class.
- Overall pick
- 45
- Round and pick
- Round 3, pick 9
- Drafting team
- WSHWashington Capitals
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 20 years
The picks around it
Picks 42–48 in the 1978 draft
- 42Richard DavidL31 GP · 8 PMTLMontréal Canadiens
- 43Ray MarkhamC14 GP · 2 PNYRNew York Rangers
- 44Dean TurnerD35 GP · 1 PNYRNew York Rangers
- 45Jay JohnstonD8 GP · 0 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 46Rick PatersonC430 GP · 93 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 47Tim BernhardtG67 GP · 17 WAFMAtlanta Flames
- 48Mark KirtonC266 GP · 113 PTORToronto Maple Leafs
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1978 class
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Bobby SmithC1077 GP · 1036 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 3Wayne BabychR519 GP · 438 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 4Bill DerlagoC555 GP · 416 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 5Mike GillisL246 GP · 76 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 6Behn WilsonD601 GP · 359 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 7Ken LinsemanC860 GP · 807 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 8Danny GeoffrionR111 GP · 52 PMTLMontréal Canadiens
- 9Willie HuberD655 GP · 321 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 10Tim HigginsR706 GP · 352 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
+ 224 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Jay Johnston made his NHL debut on February 5, 1981, 2 years and 235 days after the draft.
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Washington Capitals picks in the 1978 draft
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 18Tim CoulisL47 GP · 9 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 20Paul MulveyL225 GP · 81 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 23Paul MacKinnonD147 GP · 28 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 38Glen CurrieC326 GP · 118 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 45Jay JohnstonD8 GP · 0 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 55Bengt-Åke GustafssonL629 GP · 554 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 71Lou FranceschettiL459 GP · 140 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 88Vincent MagnanLWSHWashington Capitals
- 105Mats HallinC152 GP · 31 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 122Richard SiroisGWSHWashington Capitals
- 139Denis PomerleauRWSHWashington Capitals
- 156Barry HeardGWSHWashington Capitals
- 172Mark ToffoloDWSHWashington Capitals
- 187Paul HoganLWSHWashington Capitals
- 189Steve BargerRWSHWashington Capitals
- 202Rod PacholzukDWSHWashington Capitals
- 213Wes JarvisC237 GP · 86 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 215Ray IrwinDWSHWashington Capitals