LD Albert Johansson (2019, 60th, DET)

[newfy]

Surprising only to people who didn't watch him in Sweden or Grand Rapids, which to be fair, McLellan probably didn't lol.

Everywhere he goes, people on the team talk about how good and underrated he is because he's not flashy. He takes time watching to appreciate how good his game is and he battles as hard as anyone When he didn't make the WJC team there were interviews from his SHL teammates saying how bad it was.

 

[Dotter]

I don't know if he is a #4 defenseman while playing next to Edvinsson.... or if Holl, Chariot and Petry are just so bad that it makes AJ look better than he is, but I have really liked Johansson's game on the top 4!

Off topic, I'll just say Elmer Soderblom is an NHLer and should stay up in place of Veleno and/or Fischer after Kane returns. Dude has been a MONSTER.

 

[eojsmada]

I remember last year they were wanting to bring Johansson up to give him a look since he was in his final waiver eligibility year, but then he got a fluke injury just as there was an opening for him and they had to go a different direction. And then when the end of the season came around for them give Edvinsson their end of year look, he ended up sticking and they just rode Johansson out the rest of the year.

Good for him, though, to really have the patience and work ethic to stay ready. Pretty clear that Lalonde had no idea how to handle the roster he had with whatever blender of systems he was (or wasn't) using.

 

[Reddwit]

Almost 22 minutes last night in a tight game that was 1-0 for almost the entire second half of the game. Had a shift where he ran Kucherov out of the defensive zone. I don’t know what Lalonde was doing with him, but McLellan has done wonders for him. Great stick, mobile, has little trouble with forwards bigger than him, and he’s scrappy. If he keeps this up for the season, he’s a lock for the top 4, possibly a future mate for Seider on the top pairing. What a revelation at the NHL level.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

He was always projected as a top 4 defenseman, so it should surprise no one that he looks like a…top 4 defenseman.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

He was always projected as a top 4 defenseman, so it should surprise no one that he looks like a…top 4 defenseman.

i'm surprised because i've been told that yzerman can't draft outside the first for years

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

i'm surprised because i've been told that yzerman can't draft outside the first for years

I thought the notion was that his NA draft picks were poor? I don’t think anyone questions Hakan.

 

[newfy]

He was always projected as a top 4 defenseman, so it should surprise no one that he looks like a…top 4 defenseman.

I think its a little surprising he's looking this good this early. I'm a big fan but I wasn't really expecting it this quick. Especially after Lalonde kept playing him 10 mins a game then health bombing him for 3 games

 

[Pavels Dog]

Kid has been fantastic lately. Another great game going toe-to-toe with McDavid & Co.

 

[Dotter]

Wings/Yzerman are building a very impressive back end. I love the Edvinsson and Johansson pairing! I like it better than Chariot with Seider. Hopefully ASP can come here and take Chariot off the top paring!

 

[LeProspector]

i'm surprised because i've been told that yzerman can't draft outside the first for years

If you look at every other second round pick aside from this one from 2019-2021 (there is a lot of them) the record is…. Unfortunate to say the least.

 

[Deas]

It's like the "Yzerplan" cooled off but now is starting to look good again with the emergence of Johansson and Kasper and with ASP and Buchelnikov soon joining the rest of the young core.

 

[Tatar Shots]

If you look at every other second round pick aside from this one from 2019-2021 (there is a lot of them) the record is…. Unfortunate to say the least.

No it’s not. Wallinder and Buium are both good prospects who will at minimum get some NHL games and I’d say both have top 4 potential if things go well for them.

As to Johansson, he has a longer career ahead of him as a top 4 Dman. Great skater and great poise.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

If you look at every other second round pick aside from this one from 2019-2021 (there is a lot of them) the record is…. Unfortunate to say the least.

plante looks great, augustine looks great, buchelnikov looks great, buium looks good, wallinder looks good, johansson looks great. adding 1 good to great prospect from the 2nd round for 6 years in a row isn't just outstanding work, it's basically mathematically impossible

 

[LeProspector]

plante looks great, augustine looks great, buchelnikov looks great, buium looks good, wallinder looks good, johansson looks great. adding 1 good to great prospect from the 2nd round for 6 years in a row isn't just outstanding work, it's basically mathematically impossible

“2019-2021”

This guy proceeds to list prospects from 2022/2023/2024…

You’re funny man.

want to know why I choose that timeframe? Because it’s resonable to evaluate those players.

The guys drafted in 22/23/24 I think it’s still too early to say something definitive one way or another.

 

[izlez]

“2019-2021”

This guy proceeds to list prospects from 2022/2023/2024…

You’re funny man.

want to know why I choose that timeframe? Because it’s resonable to evaluate those players.

The guys drafted in 22/23/24 I think it’s still too early to say something definitive one way or another.

Hey, look at this guy that the Red Wings drafted and developed and brought along slowly until he was ready to step in and play really well at an NHL level.

Hey, look at all these other guys following the same path that are younger than that other guy. They haven't made it to the NHL yet. They must suck.

 

[RedHawkDown]

I don’t think 2nd round drafting has been a strength. It’s not crazy to point that out. We had a ton of picks in 19/20/21 and Johansson is likely the only useful player. It doesn’t matter that much though because first round drafting has been lights out, which is not the case for most teams.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

“2019-2021”

This guy proceeds to list prospects from 2022/2023/2024…

You’re funny man.

want to know why I choose that timeframe? Because it’s resonable to evaluate those players.

The guys drafted in 22/23/24 I think it’s still too early to say something definitive one way or another.

yea, it is too early to say something definitive, and yet yzerman haters have been talking trash for YEARS. but let's go over the prospects from your cherry picked list

2019
johansson - playing 20 minutes a night in the top 4 in the nhl and looking great doing so

tuomisto - looking good playing top 4 in the ahl, could get a look later this year or next

mastrosimone - no longer with the org, looks like a career ahler

2020
wallinder - looking good playing top 4 in the ahl, could get a look later this year or next

niederbach - no longer with the organization but is starting to turn it on and could get a contract with someone else down the line

hanas - looks like a career ahler

2021
buium - our best defenseman in grand rapids most nights. will most certainly be getting nhl minutes within the next 12 months

7 prospects over 3 years. 1 of them looks outstanding in his first 30 nhl games, 3 more are trending well and will get nhl games within the next year and 1 more that still has a shot, albeit with another team. 5 out of 7 is still outstanding work, and probably better than whichever scrub team you follow

 

[LeProspector]

yea, it is too early to say something definitive, and yet yzerman haters have been talking trash for YEARS. but let's go over the prospects from your cherry picked list

2019
johansson - playing 20 minutes a night in the top 4 in the nhl and looking great doing so

tuomisto - looking good playing top 4 in the ahl, could get a look later this year or next

mastrosimone - no longer with the org, looks like a career ahler

2020
wallinder - looking good playing top 4 in the ahl, could get a look later this year or next

niederbach - no longer with the organization but is starting to turn it on and could get a contract with someone else down the line

hanas - looks like a career ahler

2021
buium - our best defenseman in grand rapids most nights. will most certainly be getting nhl minutes within the next 12 months

7 prospects over 3 years. 1 of them looks outstanding in his first 30 nhl games, 3 more are trending well and will get nhl games within the next year and 1 more that still has a shot, albeit with another team. 5 out of 7 is still outstanding work, and probably better than whichever scrub team you follow

If I’m a betting man, one of Willander or Buium will make it as full time NHLers but not both, you can’t have a defensive corps full of sub-25 year old’s. it just won’t work. My guess: Buium.

2/7 I think is a reasonable assumption of players that become NHLers full time - certainly not a great ratio for how many swings the Wings made during that time frame.