Just yesterday, we had shared an article about Johansson entitled "Maple Leafs grooming left shot defensive prospect to play on the right side?". Well, Johansson received his first look on the right side on Friday, but it does appear as though there will be some bumps in the road as he continues to transition and grow within the role.
On Friday morning, an amateur prospect writer for Pension Plan Puppets who goes by the handle "@brigstew86" on Twitter/X took to the platform to share his analysis on Johansson's first pre-season game of the year. Most notably, the writer gave the Leafs prospect a huge vote of confidence in the skating department, but pointed out that he lacks some defensive awareness, which could be attributed to his shift to the right side.
Johansson was selected in the 4th round, 120th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The pick was thought to be a bit of a reach at the time, with Johansson himself stating that he didn't see himself being drafted until perhaps the 7th round.
The 18-year-old Swede was a participant at the Maple Leafs' Summer Development Camp last month and is largely viewed as a bit of a project for the Leafs, given his very lanky build, at 6'2, 147 lbs.
Johansson skated in 34 games for Leksands IF Jr. in Sweden's junior league last season, producing just 2 goals and 8 points. He was a plus-6 rating over that stretch.
Source for stats: HockeyDBVictor Johansson stats and bio
POLL | ||
9 AOUT | 644 ANSWERS New Maple Leafs prospect receives interesting reviews in most recent analysis Do you think Victor Johansson was a reach for the Leafs in the 4th round? | ||
Yes, they could have nabbed him later | 147 | 22.8 % |
No, it was a smart pick on a good prospect | 209 | 32.5 % |
Don't know enough about him | 288 | 44.7 % |
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