Loke Johansson signed a three-year entry-level deal with a yearly cost hit of $860,000, the Boston Bruins announced on Thursday.
Johansson, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, has made 15 appearances so far this season with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats. During that time, the 6-foot-3 defenseman recorded four assists and one goal.
Following his assignment to the QMJHL, Johansson was the first member of the Bruins’ training camp roster cut this season.
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The 18-year-old played for the AIK’s U-20 team in Sweden previous season, where he finished with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and a +5 rating in 33 games.
Johansson is a “stay-at-home defender” with size and physicality, although he does have certain weaknesses, according to Elite Prospects.
He is a technically proficient skater who can cover a lot of territory thanks to his overall shiftiness and four-way agility. At the very least, he is a definite average projection to the NHL, if not explosive. Speaking of which, organizations will undoubtedly value his strong physical performance in the HockeyAlisvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier men’s league. In such situation, the Stockholm-born defender was frequently the one experiencing bodily discomfort rather than giving in to opponents.
Naturally, he has certain limits in his game, particularly in terms of offensiveness. Johansson makes an effort to engage and participate in the play, but many of these efforts fall flat due to his lack of exceptional talent or sophisticated offensive instincts. Johansson isn’t always the most advanced defenseman, which is the other issue. Although he is capable of physically combating opponents, his details are dubious, especially when he is alone in space. Right now, his neutral zone gap is simply way too liberal.
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