Marcus Johansson is playing bigger for the Capitals
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Version 0 of 1. VANCOUVER — A question about Marcus Johansson once brought a smile to Troy Brouwer’s face. “The little guy,” Brouwer said. That was in May, when the Washington Capitals were in the middle of a second-round playoff series with the New York Rangers. This season, following a number of roster changes that included a trade that sent Brouwer to St. Louis and brought forward T.J. Oshie to Washington, Johansson — at 6-foot-1, 209 pounds — is actually bigger than the team averages in height and weight. If there was one criticism about the Capitals’ offseason moves, it was that while Washington bolstered the team’s skill with the additions of Oshie and Justin Williams, it lost size in the departures of Brouwer, Joel Ward and Eric Fehr. Through the first five games of the season, Johansson is filling the void, becoming a presence in front of the net like his departed teammates had been. He’s acted as a screen for several goals already. “It’s part of scoring goals and getting goals for the team,” Johansson, 25, said. “Someone has to screen the goalie because they’re so good nowadays. I mean, you can’t just shoot and expect everything to go in. If that’s what it takes to get goals, I’m happy to go there.” A restricted free agent at the end of last season, Johansson and the Capitals went to arbitration, which resulted in a one-year contract worth $3.75 million. The Swedish winger will return to restricted free agency after this season, when the arbitration process could begin anew, or he could sign a longer deal with Washington before then. Before last season began, Coach Barry Trotz urged Johansson to shoot more, and Johansson responded with his most productive season in the NHL. He played all 82 games for the first time, reached a career-high 20 goals and added 27 assists. He skated mostly on the second line with center Evgeny Kuznetsov and Brouwer, and served as the goal line option on the power play, often tasked with bringing pucks into the offensive zone. He still occupies the same role on the power play, but Johansson has been more aggressive in getting in front of the net. He posted up in front of Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling on Oshie’s power-play goal last week, jumping up and out of the way just as Oshie’s strike reached the net. In the next period of the same game, Johansson acted as a screen for defenseman John Carlson’s even-strength shot from the blue line. Against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, Johansson blocked goalie Cam Ward’s vision on a power play, setting up Carlson’s goal. The two games are part of a hot offensive streak for the Capitals, who have scored at least four goals in three straight games, the latest being a 6-2 win in Calgary on Tuesday. Through five games, Johansson has a goal and two assists. Trotz said he talked with Johansson last year about using his “assets” to take pucks to the front of the net. “He’s so quick, he can get to the front of the net,” Trotz said. “He can get around people. He can get on top of people. . . . He can get back to the net front from out of the corners. He can do all that. That’s where he’s going to be productive, when he’s getting inside the dots and inside the interior. That’s where he’s going to be most effective. Johansson said whether he stays on the goal line or is more active in being a screen during the power play depends on the opponent and the situation. He shrugged and figured he’s just gotten better at it over time. As far as being undersized compared to Brouwer or Ward, who played that role with the second power-play unit last year, Johansson said it’s more about timing, not that he’s overthinking it. “As long as you’re in the way, I think it helps,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to do.” Said Trotz: “JoJo’s not a small guy. He’s just not as thick as Wardo, but he can get there. . . . He uses his quickness and his skills.” |