Red Wings re-sign RFA Albert Johansson to a 2-year deal at $1.125 million AAV

Updated 3x at 3:08 PM: Per the Detroit Red Wings:

Update: Here’s the press release:

Red Wings sign Albert Johansson to two-year contract extension

2019 Second-round pick skated in 61 games with Detroit in 2024-25

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Albert Johansson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.125 million.

Johansson, 24, spent the entire 2024-25 season with the Red Wings, recording nine points (3-6-9) and 30 penalty minutes in 61 games. The 6-foot, 187-pound defenseman was the only NHL rookie blueliner to score two game-winning goals in 2024-25, accomplishing the feat on Jan. 10 vs. Chicago and March 16 vs. Vegas. Johansson played the 2023-24 season with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, logging 21 points (6-15-21), a plus-seven rating and 46 penalty minutes in 66 regular-season games. He also collected three assists and eight penalty minutes in nine Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Griffins reach the Central Division Finals. Johansson made his North American professional debut with the Griffins in 2022-23, notching 15 points (5-10-15) and 38 penalty minutes in 53 games. Selected by the Red Wings in the second round (60th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Johansson registered 36 points (11-25-36) and 84 penalty minutes in 119 AHL games with the Griffins from 2022-24.

A native of Karlstad, Sweden, Johansson spent parts of four seasons with Färjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League from 2018-22, totaling 57 points (15-42-57), a plus-10 rating and 44 penalty minutes in 141 games. He also helped Färjestad BK win a SHL championship in 2022, tallying eight points (2-6-8) in 19 postseason contests. Johansson also logged 38 points (9-29-38) and 79 penalty minutes in 58 games with Färjestad BK’s under-20 squad, in addition to 36 points (14-22-36) and 14 penalty minutes in 50 games with the under-18 team and 26 points (11-15-26) and 82 penalty minutes in 56 games at the under-16 level. On the international stage, Johansson represented Sweden at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship alongside Red Wings teammates Lucas Raymond and Elmer Söderblom, recording three assists and four penalty minutes in five games. Johansson captured a gold medal at the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, tallying one assist and a plus-four rating in seven games. He also earned a silver medal with Sweden at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing with two penalty minutes in five appearances.

Update #2: Per MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Johansson elevated his performance after Todd McLellan took over as coach. Jeff Petry’s injury Jan. 2 in Columbus created an opportunity for Johansson, and he’s seized it.

“You want the coach to trust you, and when you play a lot that gives you a confidence boost and helps the game,” Johansson said during the season.

McLellan at one point called Johansson his biggest surprise.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in the hockey world that would walk into the arena and go, ‘That guy’s a rookie,’ ” McLellan said in March.

“Just his poise, his growth, his confidence, competitiveness, all the things that are really hard to measure, they’re not stat-sheet stuff, they’re intangibles, I think have made him a really good player for us. And we have a ton of confidence in him because of those things. And he knows who he is. He plays to his game every night. You get the same thing over and over and over again.”

Update #3: Here’s more from Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff:

“I got an opportunity under Todd and Yawns (assistant coach Trent Yawney) when they came in, and I think I took that chance and showed them that I can play in this level,” Johansson said. “And they show trust in me with that.

“I think confidence grows and you’re kind of just riding on the wave a little bit after that. But, yeah, I mean, I’m thankful for that opportunity. And, yeah, I think I did a pretty good job of taking care of it.”

Johansson’s offseason agenda has a two-pronged approach when it comes to areas of his game he’ll be seeking to upgrade as an NHL sophomore. He wants to become a heavier player. And he’d like to be more of a contributor to the offense.

“Getting bigger and stronger,” Johansson said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things for me to go home and have a good summer. I mean, I know I can get stronger. That will help my game if I get stronger.

“I’m not gonna push people around out there, but of course I can get stronger, and I think that would just improve my game. So that’s something I will work on. And then I think overall, just work on small things, like in my game, that I can improve and be a bigger part of this team and a better player.”

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!