Anton Johannesson

June 2024 – Johannesson’s exclusive signing rights expired on June 1, 2024. The 2020 5th-round pick by the Winnipeg Jets is now free to sign with another team. Johannesson is expected to continue playing in Sweden during the 2024-25 season. Mark Henry

March 2024 – Johannesson played in 28 games with Brynäs IF in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden. He had seven points (zero goals and seven assists). Brynäs IF starts their 2024 playoffs versus the Nybro Vikings on March 17. Mark Henry

August 2023 –  Johannesson participated in the Winnipeg Jets 2023 Development Camp in July. He will play for Brynäs IF in the HockeyAllsvenskan second tier of ice hockey in Sweden during the 2023-24 season. Mark Henry

May 2022 – 20- year-old Johannesson has faced a challenging past few seasons and his injury history continues to be a concern. As a supremely undersized defenceman yet to make his professional debut in Sweden, this is particularly worrisome. In his first J20  season in 2019/2020 Johannesson was awarded most points and assists by a defencemen but he missed the entirety of the 2020/2021 season due to a foot injury which required surgery. He remained in the J20 Nationell where he was limited to 26 games  this past season totaling six goals and 12 assists. When in the lineup, the strong suits of his game are elite against players his own age. His skating mechanics are fluid and effortless, often creating separation for himself. Johannesson threads the needle through difficult passing lanes with superb vision. His .67 points per game led all defencemen on his team HV71 J20, and ranked top-10 league wide among players who appeared in at least 20 games. Johannesson remains an intriguing prospect, and his skill is undeniable, however the name of the game for this young defenceman is health. With the odds stacked against him, I am quite curious to see him compete against men and take that massive leap expected from a full healthy season of progression.

October 2020 – Johannesson was drafted 133rd overall by the Jets. Johannesson is a long-term project who will spend at least a few years in Sweden before crossing the pond.  Jokke Nevalainen

May 2020 – Johannesson has missed a lot of time because of injuries over the past two years. He missed most of the 2018-2019 season and had some injuries in 2019-2020 as well. Missing all that time during crucial development years has clearly affected him which makes it harder to evaluate and project what he will become. But when Johannesson has been able to play, he’s shown a lot of potential. His 24 points in 20 SuperElit games are a good example of that. He has a lot of skill with the puck, and he loves to create offense. His hands and edge work are great which allow him to embarrass opposing defenders. He sees the ice really well and remains calm under pressure. He’s the type of player you want to have on the ice during a power play. His biggest strengths are clearly in the offensive zone but he can also make good breakout passes and join the rush or carry the puck himself. On the other side, Johannesson is not currently even strong enough to win battles against junior players, so he needs a lot of work in that area. That work should also improve his speed, explosiveness and shot which are not good enough as of now. Defensive game is another big area where a lot of improvement is needed. His positioning and defensive reads are very inconsistent and often times poor. Both of these development areas are understandable given the time he’s missed but they add a layer of risk to his projection. Johannesson’s potential is so high that he could end up becoming one of the best defensemen from his draft class. But it’s also a very realistic scenario that he never even comes close to the NHL. Because of that, he could be drafted anywhere from early second to late fourth round.  Jokke Nevalainen