Predicting where Albert Johansson fits in with the Detroit Red Wings

The hockey season has officially arrived. The nights are cooler, the sunlight is shorter, the kids are back in school, and it won't be long before the leaves on the trees begin to change color and drop. There is nothing better than walking out the door in the morning with a coffee in hand and taking that deep breath of fresh, cool air for me, anyway. I never want to wish summer away, but the benefit is the hockey and football seasons are to begin, so that simply cancels out any sunny, hot, humid day.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spent the summer shuffling puzzle pieces, hoping to find a combination that will improve the organization from last season. Detroit missed the postseason last year on the final day of the regular season, which takes the streak to eight seasons without a playoff appearance. Eight is a large number in any sport, yet knowing the dumpster fire Yzerman inherited and taking into consideration, they've steadily improved year-to-year. Still, it's time this team finally returns to playing playoff games regularly.

I am not going to go over every off-season transaction again, but I will brush on a couple that may apply to Albert Johansson's role this upcoming season. If you are looking for a refresher on what has transpired this summer, it can be found here.

Where will rookie Albert Johansson fit in with the Detroit Red Wings in 2024-25?

The Detroit Red Wings rewarded rookie defenseman Albert Johansson with a one-year deal this off-season worth $775,000. Johansson, 23, is no longer exempt from waivers, which means he'd have to clear waivers if the Red Wings attempted to assign him to Grand Rapids.

Earlier this summer, Yzerman paired a second-round draft selection with Jake Walman, trading them to San Jose for future considerations. It was a shocking transaction in two ways. First, Yzerman needed to add a second-round pick in the deal to entice the Sharks to take Walman's $3.4 million cap hit. Second, Yzerman traded a top-four talent from an already suspect defense core without an obvious contingency plan. Rookie defenseman Simon Edvinsson is expected to see a top-four role this upcoming season and will likely anchor Detroit's second pairing with veteran Jeff Petry. Veteran Ben Chiarot is expected to spend the bulk of his time with Moritz Seider. Chiarot and Seider performed well together to close out last season and will draw the toughest assignments in 2024-25. Also, this will allow head coach Derek Lalonde to deploy one of Edvinsson or Seider for 45 to 50 minutes each night.

That brings us to the third pairing. The remaining candidates are Olli Maatta, Justin Holl, newcomer Erik Gustafsson and Johansson.

Yzerman brought in Gustafsson through free agency to replace Shayne Gostisbehere, who landed in Carolina. Gustafsson is an offensive-minded defender who will see a plethora of power play time and is also regarded as a bit more responsible defensively than Gostisbehere. This begs the question, will the better five-on-five play from Gustafsson outweigh the ten goals and 56 points of offense Gostisbehere provided the Red Wings last season? Gustafsson produced six goals and 31 points last season with the Rangers and was a plus-3, averaging over 17 minutes per night. In turn, Gostisbehere was a minus-16, playing just over 19 minutes a night.

Initially, I figured the third pairing would mostly feature the ever-so-steady Maatta with Gustafsson playing his off-hand on the right side. We will undoubtedly see that pairing occasionally, but I have a hunch, and at this time, pre-training camp, that's all it is a hunch; we might see more Johansson and Gustafsson to at least begin the season, barring injuries, etc. That leaves Maatta as the no. 7, and Holl is the no. 8 heading into the regular season. I am eager to see how this plays out; one thing is sure: Holl has quickly become an afterthought and one of the worst free-agent signings in Yzerman's tenure.

The Red Wings need to see what they've got in Johansson and if they feel he's a viable option moving forward. Sitting in the press box more often than not will only hamper his growth and development. Detroit knows exactly what they've got in Maatta and Holl. The young left-handed defender played in Grand Rapids the past two seasons and performed exceptionally well last year. Johansson totaled six goals and 21 points and maintained a plus-7 rating; he also chipped in with three assists over nine postseason games. This followed a five-goal, 15-point year, and a minus-7 rating in his first season playing in North America.