Date of birth: October 06, 1990
Place of birth: Landskrona, Sweden
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 189
Shoots: L
Marcus Johansson will add some extra offensive depth to the Devils roster. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
One-Timer: Johansson is a smooth skater and possesses very good hockey sense as well. While nothing really stands out about Marcus’ game when you watch him, it is because he is very good at a lot of things with few or no weaknesses. As long as concussions (see below) do not interfere with his hockey future, Johansson should develop into a very reliable two-way center. He stated in an interview at NHL.com: “I like to play with the puck. I like to bring the puck from my own end to the offensive end. I think I’m a little more a passer than a shooter. I want to set up my teammates so they can score goals. Of course I want to score goals myself, but I think I am more of a passer than a shooter.” Although not a typical physical player, Marcus is not afraid of the rough stuff. He also possesses good leadership skills and is a great team player.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Henrik Zetterberg-Lite
Scouting Combine Performance: Gare Joyce noted Johansson was the only player with three recorded concussions.
International Tournaments: Marcus netted 2 goals in 6 games at the WJC-U20s. He also represented Sweden at the 2007 Under-18 World Championships (bronze) and the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament (gold).
ETA = 3 years
Risk-Reward Analysis: Risk = 4/5 Reward = 4/5
NHL Potential: 2-way 2nd-line center
Fantasy Hockey Potential: Offensive = 8/10 Defensive = 8/10
Chris is THW’s senior draft/prospect analyst and a Managing Editor. Watch for “The Next Ones” Prospect Profile series, exclusive rankings, mock drafts, as well as the annual THW NHL Entry Draft Guide. Follow @ChrisRalphYQ on Twitter as he infiltrates, dissects and analyzes all happenings of hockey prospects and the NHL entry draft. Email: cralph[at]thehockeywriters[dot]com
