What a stretch it has been for Anton Johansson.
In the span of 10 days, the Detroit Red Wings rookie defenseman logged the kind of firsts that can define an early NHL run: first game, first assist, first goal, all packed into his first seven appearances.
Johansson entered the season with momentum after two strong years with Leksands IF in the Swedish Hockey League, and he had already shown he could handle North American ice in brief stops with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Over the past two seasons, he joined Grand Rapids once his SHL campaign ended, and the results were there: 19 regular season games, two goals, nine assists, and then two more assists in 11 playoff games.
That production gave him a real shot at cracking the opening-night roster this fall. The door opened even wider when Simon Edvinsson flew to Sweden after failing to reach a deal with the Red Wings, leaving a spot on the blue line. Johansson could have made the team anyway, but once Edvinsson was out of the picture, Detroit wasn’t about to send Johansson back to Grand Rapids after losing its No. 2 defenseman.
The organization marked his NHL debut on October 2 with a solo lap in warmups, a rookie tradition the Red Wings had never used before. That was the first sign this season might move quickly for the 22-year-old, a fourth-round pick, No. 105 overall, in the 2022 NHL draft.
His first point arrived five games later. On Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, Johansson picked up a secondary assist on Emmitt Finnie’s goal. The replay didn’t fully capture his role in the sequence, but he had chipped the puck up the boards to Michael Brandsegg-Nygård before the play eventually finished with Finnie burying a lob pass.
Johansson had already been steady enough in his early games to make an impression. Like any rookie, he’s made mistakes, but he’s also held his own and shown enough to justify sticking around.
Then came Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, when he got the biggest moment yet. Johansson scored his first NHL goal on a 2-on-1 after taking a pass from Dylan Larkin. Fresh out of the penalty box and headed to the bench, he spotted Larkin flying up the right side with only one Flyers defenseman between them, jumped into the rush, and finished the play with a one-timer that slipped just under the arm of Flyers goalie Joseph Woll.
For the Red Wings, it has the feel of a fourth-round steal in the making.
In Other News...
Red Wings Escape Another Shaky Night Before A Tough Road Swing
The Red Wings avoided a costly slip Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena, squeezing past the San Jose Sharks 4-3 in a shootout to steady themselves before a demanding trip west. Detroit is still trying to find its rhythm early in the season, but the win nudged the club to 3-3-2 and offered at least a little breathing room as the schedule turns tougher.
Alex DeBrincat helped rescue the night with a late equalizer, and Lucas Raymond finished it off in the shootout as Detroit found a way to leave home with two points. Now the focus shifts quickly to a four-game road swing that opens Oct. 20 against the Seattle Kraken, a stretch that should say a lot about how far the Wings have come from these uneven opening nights. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Keep Showing Fight But This Trend Could Become A Problem
The Red Wings keep finding ways to stay in games, and Sundays 4-3 shootout win over the Sharks at Little Caesars Arena was another example of the resilience they have shown early this season. Down 3-1 entering the third period, Detroit got goals from Emmitt Finnie and Alex DeBrincat to force extra time, then pulled out the extra point behind a composed effort in goal from John Gibson, who finished with 31 saves. It pushed the Red Wings to 3-3-2, which is the kind of record that reflects both the fight and the inconsistency they are still trying to smooth out.
Lucas Raymond provided the decisive touch in the shootout, and his night carried a little extra weight given the way the season has started for him. Detroit will take the two points and the comeback, but the broader concern is harder to ignore: the team has repeatedly had to dig itself out of trouble rather than control games from the start. For a roster trying to build momentum, that trend can become a problem if it keeps putting stress on the same late-game formula. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Showed The Late Fight Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Red Wings finally found the kind of late push their fans have been waiting to see, rallying for a 4-3 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks in a game that asked plenty of them along the way. Detroit got steady contributions from Justin Faulk and Emmitt Finnie, while San Jose answered with work from Dmitry Orlov and Ivar Stenberg, setting up a back-and-forth night that stayed tight deep into the third period.
The bigger moment came when Detroit killed an overtime power play and carried the game into the shootout, where Lucas Raymond delivered the decisive goal. Alex DeBrincat had already done his part by tying it late in regulation, and the win offered a glimpse of the kind of urgency and resilience the Red Wings have been trying to bottle all season. [Read more 🡒]