Caps Draft Swedish Center

Team hopes first-rounder can duplicate Backstrom's success

By CHRIS NEEDHAM

Updated 7:30 AM EST, Mon, Jun 29, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Getty Images

The Caps sure love their Swedish centers. For the third time in the last four years, they've taken a Tre Kronor with their first-round pick. It worked amazingly well with Nicklas Backstrom in 2006. George McPhee (and every Cup-starved Caps fan) hopes it does the same with this year's model, Marcus "Don't Call Me Scarlett" Johansson.

The 24th-overall pick is a two-way center who's playing in the Swedish Elite League for Färjestads BK. He envisions himself as a playmaker, as he told NHL.com: "I like to play with the puck. I like to bring the puck from my own end to the offensive end. I think I'm a little more a passer than a shooter. I want to set up my teammates so they can score goals. Of course I want to score goals myself, but I think I am more of a passer than a shooter."

The NHL scouting bureau ranked him the 8th best European prospect. The director spoke highly of him: "There's no real strong points to his game, but no weak points, either. He plays a very mature game. He's a very, very good two-way centerman...

"[T]his is a guy who makes all the small things right. His passing; he usually comes out a winner in the corners along the boards, so he has good hands; he sees the ice very well and works hard."

The Caps targeted him early, according to Ted. "[George McPhee] told me that barring a last-minute trade that included the pick that if we had the opportunity at number 24, we would draft Marcus Johansson. And sure enough, that is what we did. So the scouts were all in agreement as was the staff and our GM so I have to feel good about the pick."

The 18-year old JoJo told NHL.com that he'll stay in Sweden next year: "It would be good to have a little more experience back home in the big league and get a couple of years there and grow as a player, and then maybe move over and get a better chance here."

If he'll be as good as Backstrom, Caps fans should be willing to wait.

Chris Needham used to write Capitol Punishment. He's glad they didn't trade for Pronger.