Anton Johansson may have done more than just pad the stat sheet Tuesday night against Pittsburgh. His four-assist performance gave the young Swedish defenseman a real chance to force his way into the Detroit Red Wings’ plans, even if the answer on his roster status still isn’t fully settled.
Detroit likes what it has on the blue line. Once Simon Edvinsson is signed, the Red Wings will have five defensemen firmly in place: Moritz Seider, Justin Faulk, Albert Johansson and Ben Chiarot, along with Edvinsson. That leaves the real fight centered on the next tier of defensemen and how many spots the team ultimately wants to keep open.
“We feel real good about our depth,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “. . .there are players who have elevated their stock, for the lack of a better term, and Anton is one of those.”
The bigger question may be numerical. Detroit still hasn’t decided whether it will carry seven defensemen or eight.
“Will we carry seven or eight?, ” McLellan said. “That’s a question that we internally have to continue to discuss.”
That uncertainty puts Jacob-Bernard Docker, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, William Wallinder and Johansson in the mix for what could be two or three available jobs after the club sent veteran defenseman Jacob Bryson to Grand Rapids.
The next two games could matter a lot for that group. Detroit’s televised game tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s home game give those players another chance to make a case.
McLellan admitted he didn’t know Johansson well when camp opened, largely because the defenseman has had limited time with the Griffins. What he has seen, though, has clearly left an impression.
“He has joy for the game,” McLellan said. “(Anton Johansson) loves being out there smiling. He brings an energy that kind of rubs off on other people.”
Detroit also likes the way he blends edge and puck skill.
“He’s aggressive killing plays, but he’s also aggressive with the puck in the offensive zone.”
There’s another layer to the decision, too: the Red Wings don’t want a young defenseman sitting in and out of the lineup. If that’s the alternative, the team would rather have those players logging 20-plus minutes a night in Grand Rapids.
Bernard-Docker has already shown he can be a useful veteran presence. He’s competitive, he battles, and McLellan appears to value what he brings. The question now is whether interim GM Shawn Horcoff would consider moving him to create more room and more playing time for the younger defensemen.
Roster rules add another wrinkle. Sandin-Pellikka and Johansson can be sent to Grand Rapids without going through waivers, while Wallinder would need to clear waivers first.
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For the Red Wings, the move fits into a broader defensive picture that still has one important unfinished piece. They are working to finalize a deal with restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, and until that is settled, there is still some uncertainty about how the back end will line up when the roster takes shape for real. Englund does not change the headline as much as he adds insurance, but in September, that kind of insurance can be useful. [Read more 🡒]
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What remains unsettled is the kind of late-stage trimming that can reshape the back end of the roster and the forward mix all at once. The Red Wings still need to make more cuts to get under the required limits, and the final defense spot is part of the problem, with several young blue-liners still in the mix and at least one candidate working through an injury, leaving the front office with a few difficult decisions to settle before opening night. [Read more 🡒]