Victor Johansson’s next step matters less on the scoresheet than it does on the ice clock.
The Maple Leafs prospect is battling for minutes on a crowded Brynäs blue line, and that alone turns his situation into one Toronto has to watch closely this season. If he’s not playing regularly, the issue isn’t just about his role in Sweden - it becomes a development problem for the Leafs.
Johansson, 20, was Toronto’s 120th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and has been projected as an offensive defenceman with enough defensive ability to handle himself. He opened 2025-26 with Leksands, where he posted three points, then moved on loan to IK Oskarshamn and finished with 10 points in 22 games.
His resume already includes some high-level experience. Johansson was named to Team Sweden for the 2026 World Juniors and came away with a gold medal, even if the tournament itself wasn’t his strongest showing.
Now he’s in a tougher spot. Brynäs gives him a better team, but it also gives him far more competition for ice time.
Axel Rindell and Johannes Kinvall already occupy the offensive side of the blueline, while Robert Hagg and Christian Djoos fill the shutdown roles. Johansson does have a path, though, if he can beat out Axel Andersson, who is six years older and brings a similar style.
That’s the real test here. If Brynäs is satisfied with its top four, Johansson could be left on the outside looking in. If he pushes his way into the rotation, then Toronto gets something far more useful than raw production: proof that he can earn meaningful SHL minutes.
There’s also a familiar face in the mix. Johansson will skate with former Maple Leaf Calle Järnkrok, who recently signed a three-year deal with Brynäs.
For Toronto, the timeline is tightening. The Leafs need to sign Johansson by July 2028, which leaves only a couple of years for him to lock down a role and show real growth.
At this stage, the point totals matter less than the minutes. A big offensive line on a stat sheet won’t answer the biggest question if the ice time never comes.
His defensive game has long trailed his offense, and discipline has been part of the concern too, with focus issues and penalty trouble showing up along the way. If Johansson can clean that up in Brynäs and prove he can handle tougher matchups, the Leafs will have the kind of progress they need to see.
Toronto doesn’t need him to fill the scoresheet this season. It needs Brynäs to trust him with real SHL responsibility and enough of a workload to show his game is moving forward against men.
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For Leafs fans, the significance goes beyond the AHL bench. The Marlies are often the first stop for prospects who could eventually help in Toronto, so changes in that room can ripple upward in a hurry. And as the hockey media landscape keeps shifting, with more games moving to streaming platforms in North America, the attention on development systems like the Marlies only figures to grow as the next season approaches. [Read more 🡒]