Victor Johansson's World Juniors play is a step toward a possible Maple Leafs career
The Leafs don't have anyone quite like the young Swedish defenceman in their prospect cupboard.
Victor Johansson was five years old and had only just started playing hockey, but his earliest memory of the World Juniors is a core one.
“Of course, you remember when Sweden took gold and Mika Zibanejad scored the gold medal winner, right?” the Maple Leafs defence prospect said of Sweden’s 2012 World Juniors win, with characteristic zeal.
As a fourth-round NHL draft pick (No. 120 in 2024), Johansson was a long shot to carry the torch from Zibanejad and crack Sweden’s highly-touted 2026 World Juniors roster.
“(Johansson) hasn’t had the journey some of the other defencemen have had in that they have been in the national team from the start,” Jeff Jakobs, Johansson’s head coach at Oskarshamn, said. “He has taken the long way. He was not someone you were talking about a couple of years ago.”
Yet just as he has done throughout most of his career, Johansson forced his way into a lineup.
“Coming (to the World Juniors),” Jakobs said, “built confidence in him and some belief in his future.”
Johansson’s future could end up becoming intriguing not just for Sweden, who have aspirations of winning the country’s first World Juniors gold in 14 years, but for the Leafs. Under Brad Treliving, there has been a focus on drafting and developing long, sturdy, stay-at-home defenders. While he’s early in his development curve, the Leafs don’t have another puck mover as creative as Johansson in their prospect cupboard. That’s what makes Johansson’s time with the national team important for his development.
The odds of Johansson playing in the World Juniors might have been long, but this tournament could end up being a turning point in his hockey career.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” Johansson said.
The World Juniors presents the spotlight Johansson needs this season.
He’s suffered multiple early-season injuries, none that serious. There was a bout of illness that kept him out of games, too. When he has played games, Johansson has bounced around: He’s still under contract to Leksands in Sweden and spent most of last season playing with their junior team. This year, Johansson has seen the ice for Leksands’ SHL team as well as their under-20 squad.
Both Johansson and Leksands agreed the young blueliner needed to play as much as possible, but those opportunities looked slim with a Leksands team trying to avoid relegation.
The 13 games he’s spent on loan with Allsvenskan’s Oskarshamn is his longest stop so far.
“It’s been tough for him, but I think the mental part, how he’s handled being a pro and showing up every day, I think that’s one thing that I’ve seen him grow in,” Jakobs said.
After being drafted, Johansson focused on rounding out his game. He had always been a player who took liberties with the puck, but he wanted to add defensive elements. That meant leaning into a nastiness that had always been part of his toolbox.