Unless they want to lose him to waivers, the Detroit Red Wings have little choice but to keep Albert Johansson in the NHL this season. There’s no question that another team would swoop in and grab him for free, and the Red Wings aren’t willing to drop useful assets.
Where might Johansson fit in? Now that’s another question entirely. The answer has to balance putting him in a position to acclimate and Detroit in a position to win games.
The answer starts with play style, because the type of player Johansson will impact his lineup options. In the AHL and SHL, he played a two-way style that controlled the game across 200 feet. However, the jump in difficulty might affect how his style translates to the NHL. He won’t find as much time and space with the puck, and he’s sure to face tougher forecheckers in his own end than he’s seen at lower levels. He and Detroit will have to judge how he stacks up next to NHLers and what areas of his game remain strengths. That evaluation is what a rookie season is for.
It might be a short rookie season, though, given the number of defensemen ahead of Johansson. Already, Ben Chiarot and Moritz Seider are top pairing players, and Simon Edvinsson will probably play the left side of the second pairing. He could share the pairing with righties Justin Holl or Jeff Petry. He could even play beside Olli Maatta or Erik Gustafsson on their off hands. Two of the three remaining players will probably comprise the bottom pair. So, Johansson will have to unseat one of them and a fellow healthy scratch to get his games in. This will limit the number he actually plays in, unless injuries or roster moves free up a spit. All this is to say, Johansson is not just walking into a top four role.
Whether Johansson is waiver eligible or not, the Red Wings also have to ice a defense corps that wins games. As much as Johansson’s contract status all but thrusts him into the hands of Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde, Detroit is also a team chasing playoff contention. Every game matters — an overtime point would’ve put the Red Wings in the playoffs last season. They have to put players into games that can win them. Johansson has to prove he’s one of those players this season, otherwise he could wind up a healthy scratch.
This is an uncomfortable limbo for such a young player to be in. He can’t stay in the AHL without another team potentially snagging him, but he also hasn’t proven his readiness to be a relied-upon NHLer. At a time in his career when games can help him develop, his fit into the NHL lineup poses a significant challenge. Whereas Detroit under Steve Yzerman has routinely answered rookie readiness questions by sending them back to the AHL, he can’t do that with Johansson, and that forces the Red Wings to figure out how to use him now.
One advantage for Johansson is that the left-handed defenseman can play either side. This effectively doubles Detroit’s options. It’s going to be harder for him to adjust off-hand, but it’s a better situation than parking him in the press box as a healthy scratch.
When Johansson does get into NHL games, Detroit will probably try to put him next to a more experienced player. That’s what Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde did with Edvinsson last season, placing him alongside Petry during a 14-game call-up to end the season. It’s a way to give young players stability while they square up to the NHL. Either a veteran like Petry, or even a top pairing defenseman like Moritz Seider could provide that support for Johansson during his adjustment period.
Out of all the players available, the most likely course of action seems to be playing Johansson alongside Petry or Maatta on the third pairing. Those proven defenders have the experience to support him, while sheltered bottom pairing minutes allow Johansson to acclimate at a comfortable pace.
Of course, this is the situation before the season — before preseason, even. Johansson could come out swinging and prove he’s an NHL defenseman when he gets a chance this fall. It’s an idyllic expectation, but it’s entirely on the table. He could also come out flat, which would leave the Red Wings with tougher questions to answer than just his role.
Because of Johansson’s contract status, Detroit is in a bind to play him while also playing to win. Figuring out how exactly it should do that is a crucial question this season.
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