According to Hockeynews.se’s Linnea Andersson, Red Wings prospect Anton Johansson, a 20-year-old defenseman who just signed a 2-year contract extension with Leksands IF of the SHL, is able to go over to North America should he choose to attempt to make the NHL.
This is good news given that his NHL rights expire in the spring of 2026, at which time the Red Wings would have to sign him or allow him to become a free agent:
Extended just now–can leave anyway: “It’s the same”
Anton Johansson has signed a contract extension with Leksand. However, the defenseman could leave as early as next season. What his future looks like, he doesn’t know yet.
Before the game against Orebro on Thursday, Leksands IF announced that Anton Johansson has signed until the spring of 2027.
However, the 20-year-old defenseman could play with another team as early as next season. Johansson was drafted in 2022 by the Detroit Red Wings, and it depends on them how it will be next season.
At the very least, there will be a [summer development] camp in North America after the season.
“The idea is that I’m going over and trying it, and if I don’t succeed, I have to come here again, and that feels damn fun,” he told Falu-Kuriren.
Appreciates LeksandJohansson doesn’t have a very good handle as to how the negotiations went with his new contract.
“My agent handles that. I was just told that there was a contract proposal, and then that I would sign it. It feels fun and incredibly good,” he tells the newspaper.
When Johansson moved to Leksand from Stockholm, he didn’t think that he would like to live in such a small place. However, this has changed considerably after several years in the district.
“When I cam here, I didn’t think that I’d like ‘the little one,’ but I like it more and more. It’s incredibly nice to be able to go everywhere in five minutes instead of having 40 minutes to go to the rink. I appreciate that very much, and I also appreciate all the people around the organization,” he says.
Johansson has played with Leksands junior team since the 2020-2021 season. Already in the following season, he registered his first games in the SHL.
