On Monday, DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills profiled defenseman Anton Johansson, and this morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses a two-goal performance from the two-way defenseman over the course of the SHL preseason:
It’s Anton Johansson and he’s doing his utmost to also get noticed. Saturday, in Swedish Hockey League preseason action, Johansson was scoring twice, pacing his club Leksand IF to a 6-3 victory over Valerenga.
“In the second and third period, we may not reach the level we want to be at, but we still maintain a good level and win the match,” Anton Johansson told Leksand’s website. “I think we take steps every day and every match. It looks good. We are ready for next week when we will face two SHL teams.”
Fellow Leksand defenseman Fred Nilsson left no doubt as to who was the best player on the ice in the club’s Saturday victory.
“Anton (Johansson),” Nilsson said. “He still scores two goals. Anton reduces (the Leksand deficit) to 1-2 in the first period and then scores a power play goal in the middle of the second.”
Johansson, 20, certainly appreciates putting two goals in the net. However, the player chosen 105th overall by Detroit in the 2022 NHL entry draft knows what he needs to improve in order to be taking further forward steps in his game.
“I think the defensive part,” Johansson said. “I did a good job in the playoffs. I’m gonna still work on that and try to keep up my offense.”
Continued; here are Johansson’s preseason markers, per Red Wings Prospects on Twitter:
Anton Johansson(4th round’22 for Leksands if) leads a nice rush and picks up the primary assist. #10 in white. He’s a really good skater. #LGRW https://t.co/Q1ZuK46PCQ pic.twitter.com/kpIDkSFp3f
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) September 3, 2024
