Photo Credit – HV71
Player Profile
D.O.B – March 26, 2002
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’9
Weight –179 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left
Johanesson’s Style Of Play
Another talented Swede, and another talented Swede, like fellow draft talent Theodor Niederbach, that basically missed a whole year with injuries.
The undersized defenseman is very smart on the puck in both the neutral and offensive zone. He creates space for both himself and his team-mates exceptionally well, and is a natural when it comes to transitioning the play up ice. Once in the offensive zone he has an array of weapons to create chances. He has a nice shot, and rarely misses on a pass. Not only does his tape-to-tape passing mean he is able to set-up chances on a platter for forwards in the offensive zone, it also means that he can create odd-man rushes from his own zone with regularity. He is not as flashy as his team-mate Emil Andrae, but is also very effective in getting past opponents and has real poise.
He is a “fair”, but not a great, skater, and will need to improve there. This might be a question of just getting stronger as he ages and adds muscle mass, as once he is in stride he has nice technique, and is also agile on his feet. Johanesson also has a good understanding of when is the right time to pinch or not.
In his own end through he struggles versus teenagers around the net and on the boards. He also does not like to engage physically, unlike his team-mate Andrae. Additionally, he is prone to switching off, misidentifying plays, and losing men in the defensive zone. His play in his own zone is a real project, even though there is a lot to like in terms of his technical and offensive skills.
Comparison
Marc-André Bergeron, LHD, Retired, Played for the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montréal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and ZSC Lions (NLA)
Like Bergeron, Johannesson is a talented offensive player who skates well – but not exceptionally – and has a great shot that can find corners. As the now retired Quebecois defenseman did, Johannesson struggles in his own zone, both from a reads perspective as well as matching far bigger players physically.
Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.
Stats from EliteProspects
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