Better Know a Prospect: Marcus Johansson

“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.

Dear…

Dear Anaheim Ducks,

Haha you guys are funny! You talk to us Friday about trading us Pronger and you’re sixteenth draft pick for get this: One of our prospect goaltenders (apparently you weren’t picky on whether it was Varly or Neuvirth), Carlson (snubbing Alzner I see), a roster player (I bet it was someone good too I’ve heard hints that it may have been Laich) and an unspecified “something else”. Now unless Varly or Neuvirth falls on their heads and lose all hand eye coordination they’re ours bitches! And, Laich would cry if he got traded and then I’d have to beat some people up cause no one makes Brooksie cry!

-love Meghan

P.S. Tell you’re GM to get his head checked. (not that he didn’t rip Philly a new one)

Dear Nicki,

I know me and Anna have been a little bit of traitoress sniffing around this new Swede but we love ya and no one not even Squeak could take your place. So watch the Imagination Movers in peace.

Dear People,

CHILL! The draft was not the last stop texaco when it comes to trades there is still that whole free agent thing. We will get our selves all in a row like good little ducklings. We tend to.

P.S. Yeah we all hate Nyls but stop hating on GMGM for it. At the TIME (Hanlon, no Nicki) we actually kind of needed him.

Gold Standard

Can I just click my heels in joy for a second and point out how many times the babble faces (commentators) used Mike Green as the standard to which be compared as a offensive defense men?

Something I noticed (besides Tarik El-ba-lame contradicting himself on the height of Dmi?) we drafted almost everyone under 6 foot. The only person on the Cap’s under six foot off the top of my head is Jose.

Speaking of Jose we have a mini me! Our last pick Benjamin Casavant looks a good bit like you. Compare Now if he’s good I can like him with out hating myself! Brownie points to you Mr. Casavant. I mean besides the fact you already have three nickname: Benjy, Mini Jose, and (depending) Casanova I can be happy with the fact you don’t speak very good english you and Dmi make up for the fact that our first pick Jojo speaks english too well. You’re fiesty too from the looks of it here . I can even forgive you for liking Pen’s Staal as your favorite player (kind of).

Now that Jojo is a dark haired swede and Nicki the blondie if we could get a red head I could so call them the Ikea set! The viking trio. My swedish fish pack.

Anna already effused over how adorable Squeak (Eakin) is. I won’t beat an adorably but dead horse. (I hate that saying its disgusting sounding don’t beat horses in general please) Though I know 21 was you dad’s number but that’s Brooksie’s number I’m sorry. But you like techno so I think you’re going to fit in.

And a big hello to Mr. Wey. American (this can be forgiven), Defense men (YEAH!), From Pittsburg? Did the Cap’s not get the memo? That is Satan’s city (trademark Anna)! We don’t want their (completely hot) kind on our team. Okay maybe I’m being a touch overly dramatic. One of my good friends is from Pittsburg. And it’s not Pittsburgs fault I hate the Pen’s… but still EW!

Overall this was a fantastic draft year for the Cap’s and ladies Cap’s fans every where (I can’t wait for the scarlet cap’s photos the year they join the NHL)

Can I mention how much Iove GMGM? Not just cause he looks like Ben from My Family or that he’s all twitchy in that adorable way but because he’s good. Really good at what he does constantly too. I mean the Bears are a factory (No pun intended: chocolate factory…) and the just announce the pick get out of there no lengthy rambly french/english introductions. What the draft should be. Though we looked a little sad with only him and that other guy up there.

Post 2009 Entry Draft…

Goddamn, Round 1 took forever. Honestly, more General Managers should follow in the footsteps of the Capitals’ dear, GMGM. Thirty seconds are all you need. Get in, get out. Seriously. Besides his speedy delivery, I’m quite proud of GMGM. He knew what the team needed, and got the best he could. Three defensemen, two centers, a rightwinger, and a left winger. And we added another Swede and another Russky to potentially join the ranks of the great Washington Capitals.

The draft picks I’m most excited to see mature? Cody Eakin, Marcus Johansson, Dmitri Orlov, and Patrick Wey. I think they could add a lot to Hershey and Washington in a few years or so.  Meghan and I already have nicknames worked out for Johansson (Jojo) and Orlov (Dmi), but we’ll have to figure some out for the other four draft picks. Also, it has been decided that Eakin is a mini-Brooks Laich. Not only do they have the same number, they have the same reddish hair and leadership attitude, too. Watch out Brooksy and Nicky, you have competition out for my heart.

Also, the amazing Feds has left us. *sigh* I have had a few days to adjust to the news, and a few weeks to get used to the idea, but I am not liking it. The Capitals are losing two seasoned players who added a lot to the great team. I’m hoping this move won’t throw off the entire team chemistry cuz that’d just be bad. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens in the next few months.

I’m really missing hockey season right now.

- Anna