NHL Prospect Profile: Filip Johansson

Statistics

Scout Quotes

Johansson is a smart defensive player. He has good positioning, cutting down passing and shooting lanes. He also maintains good gap control. If an opportunity to hit presents itself, he can be effective physically. However, Johansson plays a disciplined game and does not run around looking for hits and getting caught out of position. He uses his size well in the corners and in front of the net. Johansson can stand to bulk up though. If he was stronger, he would be even more effective. There are times when particularly big and physical forwards can cause Johansson issues.

While there are some areas of Johansson’s game that need to be ironed out, the potential here is high. He could be a top-four defenseman if he is able to develop that potential. Johansson could become an effective puck-mover who is valuable on the power play. He needs to bulk up. Expect him to spend a season or two in Sweden before making his way to North America, and learning the game on a smaller ice surface. – Last Word on Hockey

AJ’s Thoughts

Johansson is an interesting guy in this year’s draft class. In most years, a right-handed defenseman with an offensive tilt and good size would be a hot commodity. But in this class, loaded with puck-moving wizards who flash raw brilliance with the puck, Johansson has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle. He’s a solid prospect who should be selected in the top 40 picks or so because of all he brings to the table.

He’s a guy who is a solid puck-mover and whose NHL value will be tied to his ability to produce on the power play in the pros. His defense is passable but will certainly need to improve for him to see meaningful minutes in pro hockey. He plays kind of a quiet defensive game where he doesn’t take many chances and finds ways to be disruptive despite not embracing a physical mindset. The upside is solid but I have a hard time envisioning a guy that plays more than about 16-18 even strength minutes per night in the NHL.

Highlights

Avalanche Fit

He’s a RHD and he’s known for his ability to move the puck. With Johnson and Barrie entrenched in the NHL with Timmins/Meloche/Makar on their way, this is a guy that would be a case of the rich getting richer. This is in no way a need for Colorado so if he ends up an Av, you have to think it was a case of a player simply falling. Given he doesn’t play a sexy game but is more offensively-oriented, it’s certainly possible a team doesn’t fall in love with him and he lands in the third round. That would be a dramatic fall for him but the only way the Avs should really consider it is if this kid gets to them with the 78th pick.

Rankings

#55 Hockey Prospect
#68 Future Considerations
#46 McKeen’s Hockey