Stephen Johns knew this year was going to be better no matter what happened.
He just didn't know how much better.
Johns made the decision after last season that he wasn't going to allow coaching decisions or a string of healthy scratches get him down this year. Instead, he said, he was going to be a paragon of positivity.
"My mindset coming into this year was if you don't play, work harder," Johns said. "We're all part of the team and all part of the process and we all have to chip in whenever possible. I think I took the `healthies' too personal last year, and this year I don't care what happens to me, just so long as we win.