Prospect Info: [2024] 4th rd selection - #120 OA - LD, Victor Johansson - Leksands IF, J20 Nationell (5′11″ - 156/159 lb. Updated Weight)

[Stephen]

I'm sure 143 pounds was from an outdated bio...

But what is he? I'm guessing there would be some unique upside to the player, with another team sniffing around.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Wasn’t even good enough to make Sweden u18 team, this is a trash pick, bad numbers, bad size. should have taken Kiviharju or Poirier

 

[Martin Skoula]

Wasn’t even good enough to make Sweden u18 team, this is a trash pick, bad numbers, bad size. should have taken Kiviharju or Poirier

We can’t judge this pick for at least 20 years, Brad deserves the benefit of the doubt we need to give him a chance here.

 

[stickty111]

I'd wait until the Clark interview after the draft. I suspect a lot of raw skill and skating potential. You don't draft completely out of left field for fun.

There is something about Swedish or Finnish mobile D I find appealing. I'll take him just on that even if I have no clue how good his skills are.

 

[RoadWarrior]

not unless they felt he was a 2nd round or better talent

they know he's unknown, but they believed in burning that pick value for a reason

That stat line suggest he’s not a second round talent. Like I said they could’ve taken him in the 7th round.

 

[Insidefi]

That stat line suggest he’s not a second round talent. Like I said they could’ve taken him in the 7th round.

I'm always grateful to have insiders on this board who know every other teams draft rankings, so they can let us know how long a player will be around for.

 

[Morgs]

Did a few Leksands J20 games and don't remember him at all. I'd complain, but we do pretty well with Swedes.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

I know absolutely nothing about him. But I’m getting Alex Edler vibes who was also taken out of nowhere in the middle of the draft by Vancouver because Detroit also identified him. The fact they took him in the 4th round means he was a late riser and another team likely was was thinking about taking him as well.

 

[Stephen]

That stat line suggest he’s not a second round talent. Like I said they could’ve taken him in the 7th round.

Well, the good news is we picked him with a 4th rounder so it's not like we invested much of an asset on him.

Maybe the Leafs pulled the trigger because some other hipster scout was sniffing around?

 

[Stephen]

I know absolutely nothing about him. But I’m getting Alex Edler vibes who was also taken out of nowhere in the middle of the draft by Vancouver because Detroit also identified him. The fact they took him in the 4th round means he was a late riser and another team likely was was thinking about taking him as well.

Or maybe a Gustav Forsling?

 

[crump]

Now he’s but a rumour, a nascent bag of bones. A whisper on the wind. He will grow. This is a pick I will be interested in following because it’s so literally off the board.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I like this pick more if he’s 6’1 but we have done well with Swedish picks

 

[Namikaze Minato]

I like this pick because of how much whining it has already caused.

 

[SprDaVE]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807115919157530750

 

[Burnie97]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807115919157530750

Nice to see some actual info on him.

If he's a great skater that's a huge plus. Be interesting to follow this guy now.

 

[Carltons Cup]

This kid needs to hang around kyle wellwood for a few months.

My left leg weighs more than him.

 

[Carltons Cup]

The nhl intentionally kept him out of the combine for fear of breaking and snapping twigs.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Given that he was known to precisely 0 professional scouting services, it wasn't just me.

He was known to the Leafs professional scouts.

 

[aingefan]

How can you not be intrigued?

 

[htpwn]

Steen
Stralman
Stalberg
Gunnarsson
Johnsson
Engvall
Nylander
Grundstrom
Liljegren
Holmberg
Hildeby

We have had our share of misses too (and even most of those, like Timashov and Loov, still got cups of coffee in the NHL) but one questions our Swedish scouting staff at their peril. If Bergman and co. saw something they liked, then there is something to like in this player, regardless of whether central scouting agencies picked up on it.

 

[darrylsittler27]

I like this pick more if he’s 6’1 but we have done well with Swedish picks

He is 6 ft 1 and 165 lbs. Very mobile.

 

[KeziaTML]

He was known to the Leafs professional scouts.

And now he is forever tied to the production of Aron Kiviharju, a consensus early 2nd round pick who slipped and went 2 picks after Johansson. It's just bad asset management. Anything less to an equal career and this is a major miss by our scouts. I'll have no problem coming back to eat crow if he is successful, but I can guarantee you'll never hear from the "trust the scouts" group again.

 

[diceman934]

i think this could be a sleeper considering how unknown he is - when you're going that far off the board and he's underweight, the leafs must have really seen something

i need to see video of this kid

like is he potentially a kaberle?

My thoughts as well. Know nothing about him. Trust our scouts

 

[Leaf Fans]

And now he is forever tied to the production of Aron Kiviharju, a consensus early 2nd round pick who slipped and went 2 picks after Johansson. It's just bad asset management. Anything less to an equal career and this is a major miss by our scouts. I'll have no problem coming back to eat crow if he is successful, but I can guarantee you'll never hear from the "trust the scouts" group again.

Maybe by you, but obviously the Leafs scouts felt Johansson has a better upside than a guy who has been. In a free fall since being projected as a top pick.
People will still say trust the scouts (why wouldn't they). Scouts are not going to hit on every player. In fact most players drafted will never be in the NHL. They can just eat the same crow you reserved for yourself.

 

[Byron Bitz]

You guys realize putting on weight is a very solvable problem right? He's 6 foot 1. Give him 5 years of eating and lifting and he is 185.

If it’s so easy then why didn’t he do any eating and lifting this year?