“Better Know a Prospect” will be a offseason/post season/summer series of posts profiling both the better known and lesser known Caps prospects in the varies levels of the Capitals system
(H/T http://onfrozenblog.com)
Name: Marcus Johansson
Born: Oct. 6 1990 (in Landskrona, Sweden)
Height/Weight: 5’11″ and 189 lbs
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Current Team: Farjestads BK Karlstad (Swedish Elite League)
Drafted: ’09 by the Capitals first round, 24th overall
Strength/Weakness: “He’s not strong at any one thing,” a scout said. “He’s good at everything.”
- Marcus was the sixth of six Swedes drafted in the first round of the ’09 draft.
- He plays in the Swedish Elite League which is the highest level of play in Sweden and was on the league champion 08/09 team for the Färjestads BK.
- Johansson was also on the 2009 Swedish World Junior team in which he scored 2 goals in six games.
- Hockey’s Future considers him the Caps 6th best prospect only trailing Semyon Varlamov, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Michal Neuvirth, and Mathieu Perreault (not bad company to be trailing)
- For the stats heads:
- Is often compared to Henrik Zetterberg.
- NHL article profiling him from the draft: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=424821
Johansson is rated a “7″ on the prospect ratings scale of Hockey’s Future which translates to being good enough to be a second line forward. The NHL European Scouting Service says:
Johansson has a good selection of shots with a quick precise wrist shot. His overall skill level and stickhandling give him room to move the puck and shoot. He is a player with good offensive instincts and fine understanding of his defensive duties.
Johansson is a versatile player who can play wing or center depending on what the need be. He is a great two-way playmaker and “does his best work down low around the net, where he is both sneaky and opportunistic”. Having already played at the Elite league level in Sweden at only 18/19 years old he’s shown he’s fairly capable of competing at a higher level of play. Though he did not get a lot of ice time while playing during the 08/09 championship he’s a sturdy and consistent prospect with soft hands and who is effective in the face off circle.
Frankly, Johansson sounds a sort of mix between Caps super center Nicklas Backstrom; soft hands, excellent vision, playmaker, not overaggressive (and fairly small at 5’11″) but willing to take the body and Caps winger Brooks Laich always in front of the net, smart and dependable, seldom out of position and willing and able play shutdown roles.
