The Detroit Red Wings are coming off a debilitating season-opening loss. But one bright spot may have emerged on the blue line.
With Simon Edvinsson’s contract dispute creating an opening in the top four, Anton Johansson threw his name into the hat. Johansson skated for 19:10 in his NHL debut, posting 25 shifts, a blocked shot, a body check, and a giveaway. While he didn’t record a shot, Johansson had one bounce off the post, which head coach Todd McLellan believed deflected off Andrew Copp’s stick.
Those numbers aren’t game-breaking, but consider his Corsi For Percentage at even strength. Johansson finished sixth on the team and had the highest Corsi For among Red Wings defensemen at 61.5, while 54.5 percent of his starts came in the offensive zone.
That’s an important number, considering the Wings found ways to get creative when Johansson was on the ice at even strength. Detroit had 16 total shots (including blocks and misses) with Johansson in the game.
Anton Johansson May Have Taken An Early Lead To Play In The Top Four
Should the Red Wings and Edvinsson end their standoff, Edvinsson will slot back into the top four. But Johansson has already done enough to make a case that he should keep garnering top-four minutes.
His 19:10 of ice time in Friday night’s loss was third among defensemen, behind just Moritz Seider and Justin Faulk. What makes Johansson seeing more ice time on Friday notable is that he paired with Faulk on the second pairing while Albert Johansson paired with Seider.
Still, Anton played 1:41 more than Albert, who logged just 17.29. Albert, however, played in one more shift than Anton. Albert posted similar numbers, with one block, one hit, and a giveaway. He also ended the game with a 55.6 Corsi For Percentage and was on the ice for 10 shots, blocks, and misses at even strength. Albert, though, started 63.6 percent of the time in the offensive zone.
Anton Johansson Isn’t The Only One Turning Heads In Simon Edvinsson’s Absence
Axel Sandin-Pellikka skated just 16:27, the lowest of all Red Wings blueliners. However, he had two penalty minutes and ended the game with a 61.1 Corsi For Percentage at even strength — second on the team among defensemen, behind Anton Johansson.
Sandin-Pellikka landed a block, a hit, and two shots on goal. For a Red Wings team looking for more production, Sandin-Pellikka is in a prime position to show off his offensive firepower. He did that on Friday night, and it’s something you may see more of during the season.
If Anton Johansson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka can build on their respective performances in the near future and during Edvinsson’s absence, this young blue line could get entertaining fast. It already has a centerpiece in Moritz Seider, veterans in Justin Faulk and Ben Chiarot, and upstarts like the Johanssons and Sandin-Pellikka.
When the Red Wings released their first lineup on Monday, we saw a youth movement potentially unfolding. At least on the blue line, that looks to be the case. Now, the challenge is for Anton Johansson and Co. to find consistency through the early stages of this long season.
Red Wings May Have Found an Answer Amid Simon Edvinsson Standoff