Albert Johansson is getting a shot in Detroit that has been a long time coming.
After years of scraping for a few seconds here and there or settling for life on the bench, the Red Wings defenseman is moving into a top-pairing role and suddenly has a real runway to prove himself. It is a much bigger ask than anything he has faced before, but it also gives him the kind of opportunity he has rarely had in Detroit.
Since the Red Wings drafted him in 2019, Johansson has been viewed as a player with more in him than the NHL has shown so far. The hope of seeing him skate alongside Filip Hronek was always there for one observer, though that pairing is not possible at the moment. Still, Johansson’s new partner offers plenty to like as he tries to lock down a top-four spot on the blue line.
The bigger picture around Detroit makes the assignment even more significant. With Simon Edvinsson’s contract situation dragging on and the organization in a rough spot, Johansson is stepping into a role he has not previously held for any real stretch at the NHL level. It is a chance to rise out of the ashes that are the expectations of this Red Wings season.
There is a reason the confidence in Johansson exists. Grand Rapids Griffins fans saw it up close for years, and since coming to North America he has been a steady presence on the back end. Even when he first got to Grand Rapids, he carried himself with a maturity that stood out on a team that, as the source puts it, was not exactly well coached and often looked more like a collection of jerseys than a functioning unit.
Johansson still stood out as a calm, dependable defender, even if he was a little more cocky back then. Over time, he has grown into a more intriguing option for Detroit, though his NHL usage has never really matched the promise.
Now, at least, he has a coach backing him. Whether that support comes from necessity or not, it should help his game keep climbing. That was the message from Todd McLellan’s media availability on Saturday, September 26:
“We need him to have a good start. With a good start, I think he could take more minutes on, climb up the ladder a little bit into the four-five area and contribute a solid game.
I think there’s some offense there, too. You can see sometimes when he goes with the puck, he’s got a real smart idea of what’s going on around hm and he has some skills…We hope that he continues to improve and get better.”
Even if Johansson is only holding the spot until Edvinsson returns, the stage is there for him to show what he has been hinting at for years. This is his chance to escape the bottom-pairing shuffle and finally play with the kind of responsibility that has been out of reach.
If he turns those flashes into something more consistent, the Red Wings - and Moritz Seider, too - stand to gain from it.
In Other News...
Dylan Larkins Return Came With A Reality Red Wings Fans Cant Ignore
Dylan Larkins return to the Red Wings lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury gave Detroit a familiar jolt, even if the circumstances around him remain anything but simple. He had already been through a summer trade request, and the noise around that decision has not faded, but he was back on the ice and helped the Red Wings beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 with the kind of night Detroit needs from one of its most important players.
The return also came with a reminder that the situation is still uncomfortable for everyone involved. Larkin heard boos from fans and took some chirping from opponents, but he said his focus is on playing and helping the team win until a trade happens. For now, the Red Wings are getting production from a player whose future has been a topic all season, and that reality is hard for their fans to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Got A Response That Only Deepened The Frustration
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What made the response land so awkwardly is what it left unsaid. Ilitchs note addressed the frustration, but it did not touch on Steve Yzermans removal or the ongoing search for a new general manager, and the questions around the front office are only getting louder as the situation around top defenseman Simon Edvinsson adds another layer of uncertainty for a team already trying to calm its fan base. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin's Return Gave The Red Wings Something They Desperately Needed
Dylan Larkins first game back gave the Red Wings the jolt they had been waiting for. Detroit looked more composed from the start in its home meeting with Ottawa, staying out of early penalty trouble and playing with the kind of urgency that had been missing during a winless stretch that dragged on for nearly six months. Alex DeBrincat led the way offensively with three points, and head coach Todd McLellan had plenty of reason to like the way his team responded around its captains return.
Larkin made the kind of immediate impact Detroit needed, scoring in a game the Red Wings controlled on the way to a 5-2 victory. It was the teams first lead of the season, a small but meaningful marker for a club trying to reset its tone after a frustrating start. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-night spark or the beginning of the Red Wings finally finding the steady play they have been searching for. [Read more 🡒]