Detroit Red Wings fans will finally get their first look at defenseman Albert Johansson this season. He’s out of options, so Johansson can’t go to the minor leagues without first clearing NHL waivers.
That factor ensures the Red Wings will be giving Johansson a long look before risking sending the 2019 draft pick back to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins with the risk that they could lose him for nothing in return.
There isn’t a similar scenario facing the other defenseman named Johansson currently in the Red Wings organization. Anton Johansson, the 105th player chosen in the 2022 NHL entry draft, is going to be playing again this season with Leksands in the Swedish Hockey League.
Huge hit from Anton Johansson gets him 2 minutes for boarding
Should this have been reviewed for a major?
#WorldJuniors
pic.twitter.com/VMr1o6K7Lq— The Cam & Strick Podcast (@CamandStrick) December 28, 2023
“I think his going to play a top-six role, get some power play time,” Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary said of projections for Johansson with Leksands during the upcoming season.
Red Wings Pick Feels He’s Making Progress
Playing his first full SHL campaign in 2023-24, the 20-year-old Johansson was good for 3-5-8 totals during 46 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he would ramp up his production, collecting two goals and two assists in seven games.
“I did a good job in the playoffs,” Johansson said. However, it wasn’t his offensive output that he was most proud about during his first pro season.
“I think the defensive part,” was his answer about which aspect of his game was showing the most progression. “I’m gonna still work on that and try to keep up my offense.”
Of note to Red Wings fans, the 6-foot-4, 172-pound Johansson was also displaying an edge to his game while playing for Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Against Canada, he was dishing out a devastating hit on Easton Cowan.
Lane Hutson not backing down from 6’4 Anton Johansson. pic.twitter.com/LL4COVtILD
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) January 5, 2024
In the gold-medal loss to the USA, Johansson got his first shift with just over a minute to play and immediately went after USA defenseman Lane Hutson, now of the Montreal Canadiens.
“He’s driven, a competitive kid,” Cleary said of Johansson. “He’s passionate.”
In Detroit for the club’s recent development camp, Johansson was admitting that he’s still going through an adjustment period when it comes to playing the North American version of the game.
“Definitely the rink,” he said, listing the most daunting challenge he faces. “It’s a lot smaller, it’s a lot tougher, it’s a lot faster.”
