Marcus Johansson on his Swedish Elite team.
While most consider the Capitals most pressing need to be a shutdown defender, much of the Capitals blogosphere, (including yours trully) have gutturally tapped their keyboards in anger over D.C.'s preceived lack of depth at the center. However if Marcus Johansson, (a Swedish born center like Backstrom) is as good as many say he will be, the naysayers, (myself, once again included) may be shown to be impetuous fools!
At the very least, it's fair to say that Johannson has the potential to make us forget about any lost pursuit of Matthew Lombardi.
We know a few things that should already give us hope. Johansson, while one year shy of 20, already put up decent numbers in Swedish Elite league, racking up 10 goals and 10 assists in 42 regular season games last season. Perhaps more importantly, Johansson has already impressed his fellow countryman, and hopefully his soon-to-be teammate, in Nicklas Backstrom. “I’ve seen him at the World Juniors. He’s a great player. He’s fast, he has speed and he’s a smart player, too. I think if he does his best he is going to have a good chance to play here," Backstrom was quoted by Mike Vogel as saying.
General Manager George McPhee also believes Johansson will be in strong contention for a spot on the Capitals roster this season. If he does, we may be calling Johannson "Nick Junior" for reasons beyond his position and country.
Johansson has impressive hockey sense, good technical skills and soft hands. He reads the play very well and is a skilled playmaker. Is also a speedy skater that does not shy away from the rough stuff, (proof of that here) although he is not really a big time physical player. A team player with some leadership qualities. Has a shot he should use more often." Hockey's Future talent analysis of Johansson.
If you told me this was actually Nicklas Backstrom's scouting report prior to his first season with the Caps, I wouldn't question it for a second. The similarities are almost eerie, right down to Backstrom's initial hesitancy to shoot. We're hoping Marcus will get over that, just as Nicklas did.
I hope you get a chance to see him yourself this week at Kettler, as Johansson is stateside for Caps Development Camp. I'll be sure to report back on my observations of him. Until then, here are some videos of him in action.
Johansson Highlight Video
The first thing I noticed is that Marcus already looks to be quite a finisher near the net.
Nifty pass
Great move and composure as Marcus goes between two players and makes the perfect pass.
Capitals Insider Video from Johansson at Kettler
For more info: For more on Mr. Johansson, check out the Hockey Chronicles, "Better Know a Prospect" feature on him. As we talk about 2nd line centers, A Capital Offense makes a strong case for why Semin's playoff struggles were relevant to that issue.
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