Top line Johansson gives me concern that management's perspective of this player is stuck in 2017.
Top line Johansson gives me concern that management's perspective of this player is stuck in 2017.
Already dreading the update on every goal he scores from now on, and rehashing this trade.
So far not much good to be said about Mojo. Man had 1st line duties and nothing to show for it. And today some abysmal defending from him. Not actually sure why was he brought back to the team. Did they expect top 9 production from him?
3 goals in 3 games for sprong since being traded
I'm not sure I've seen Johansson make one strong offensive play since he's been back. Maybe I've missed it. I know he's capable of it but I think part of the problem is how little space they generate for one another due to a lack of sharp pace generally. It's a slog and in a slog, despite his skating, you don't really want Johanssons. You want more robust grinders. Barring Johansson showing more I'd sit him or Eller for Larsson when he's ready. Then I'd think about sitting the other whenever Snively is ready, assuming they haven't boxed themselves in and can actually activate him.
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Wilson
Sheary - Backstrom - Mantha
Larsson - McMichael - Oshie
Eller - Dowd - Hathaway
Re: Snively, move Larsson down and Snively with CMM but I doubt they put the two together and actually play them routinely when it matters. I fully expect CMM also sits with Eller/Larsson at 3C for moar defense. Either way...four games, no points and sub-replacement level offense from 90 certainly calls for at least a demotion.
This is surprisingly quite important to me.
In the season he was traded from PIT to ANH he had just 4 assists and no goals in 16 games as a Pen. After being traded to ANH he scored in his first game as a Duck, and then netted 2 more a few games later. He put up some goals here and there for a few months then disappeared for a long stretch. But he ended up with 14 goals in 47 games as a Duck that season (which is similar to his output as a Cap last year).
Yet ANH brass (like Caps brass) were not pleased. In the following season of 2019-20 Sprong only played 8 games total, spending most of his time in the AHL presumably to work on his notoriously absent defense. In Dec 2019 an injury forced a call-up for one game, but he was sent back down after a -3. Later he was called up again and had 1G/1A in his return. He played 6 more games and had zero points.
Ducks recall Daniel Sprong from San Diego
The scoring winger will finally get his shot this season with Anaheim.www.anaheimcalling.com
Seattle has nothing to lose in turning him loose, except maybe salary cap. Sprong is an RFA next year and could raise his value significantly if he can just go out and snipe for the next month. I don't expect he'll be working on his defense.
They immediately put him on the top line. That suggests they see him as more than an extra depth player.Johansson wasn’t traded for to be the savior. He was meant for depth in a playoff run. That’s it. we’ll all be happy to have him as injuries happen.
Healthy Playoff roster (with Snively back):
OV-Kuzy-Wilson
Mantha-Backstrom-Oshie
Snively-Eller-Sheary
Larsson-Dowd-Hathaway
Johansson-CMM-Leason
AJF-Protas
And if for some reason hags makes it back you put him on 4th line and move Larsson to third line and snively to reserve.
That is strong depth when you need it deep into the playoffs. you want a veteran Lineup come playoff time. Worry about next year in the offseason.
They put him there because he was familiar with Kuzy and OVI and they would like to create more balance across top 9. They then moved him to third line. I SUSPECT that as lineup gets healthy he could be a scratch in favor of Larsson (depending on how he fits in), Snively and CMM. Maybe he plays before AJF.They immediately put him on the top line. That suggests they see him as more than an extra depth player.