DETROIT — Albert Johansson is making a name for himself as a rookie defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings by forging his place.
Johansson is averaging 15:48 of ice time through 34 games this season, but that number’s increased (18:34) since Dec. 27 because the 24-year-old is being entrusted with more responsibility while helping fill a hole left on the back end with Jeff Petry sidelined due to an undisclosed injury.
“I just try to take advantage of that opportunity every day,” Johansson said. “It obviously helps to play with Simon [Edvinsson]. We’ve played before in Grand Rapids, so we know each other on the ice. I think that helps. When you play more minutes, you’re in the game more and your confidence is getting higher and higher. You start to feel more comfortable out there.”
On Jan. 23, Todd McLellan said, for him, the “biggest surprise” since becoming head coach of the Red Wings has been Johansson.
“I knew nothing about Albert,” McLellan said. “We get here and he’s kind of parked on the shelf, and everybody’s playing and we’re trying to figure players out. I think his rise has been remarkable, really, unless I underestimated him too, and that’s on me. He’s played steady in all three zones. There’s some fierceness in his game. When he gets engaged with bodies and battles, he wins a lot of them.”
