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Red Wings Legend Sings Praises of Albert Johansson
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- Red Wings Legend Sings Praises of Albert Johansson
The post Red Wings Legend Sings Praises of Albert Johansson appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now .
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 19: Detroit Red Wings D Albert Johansson (20) in action in the second period during the game between Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings on October 19, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire)
An iconic Detroit Red Wings player, all can agree that seven-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom knows a thing or two about defense.
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So, when he speaks of players who play the position, it's best to do as the old E.F. Hutton ad used to suggest.
You should stop what you're doing and listen.
Lidstrom, vice president of hockey operations for the Red Wings, was recently discussing the play of Detroit defenseman Albert Johansson with the Swedish website Hockey Sverige .
Suffice to say, the Perfect Human is perfectly satisfied by what Johansson is bringing to the ice for the Red Wings.
"I think he has had a great development and has taken steps all the time," Lidstrom said. "Partly in Grand Rapids. There, he was not a player who complained or made a fuss. He fought on the farm team, and we saw that he took steps all the time and became better and better.
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"When he got the chance up in the NHL with Detroit, he took it. He has been very good for us, and I think he has been very consistent in his game."
Lidstrom Admires Johansson's Personality And Game
As much as he was a generational player on the ice, Lidstrom was as humble as they come away from the action. It's a quality he admires in Johansson.
"Albert is a very calm person," Lidstrom said. "Maybe a little withdrawn, but I don't see him as shy, but more as quiet.
"He might stand out more on the ice than he does off it, which is very good. In addition, he is absolutely appreciated within the organization. As I said, he doesn't make much of a fuss, but he is stable and goes to work every day. He is the kind of player that you know will be there and give his best pretty much every day.
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"He is a player who does his job all the time, which has been impressive to watch, and you don't have to do much with him. Since then, as I said, he has taken steps all the time and gotten better and better."
While comparing anyone to Lidstrom on pure skill would be nonsense, Lidstrom does see an element in Johansson's game that wasn't an area where he excelled.
"He can play a little dirty or on the edge, but we like that he competes all the time," Lidstrom said.
"He plays tough in his own zone and can be tough to face. Even though he's not very big, he can play tough and aggressive. That's something we like about Albert."
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Red Wings Appreciate Johansson's Versatility
They also see sneaky offense in Johansson's game and valuable versatility.
"In Detroit, he's made several nice plays and scored goals himself," Lidstrom said. "You can see that it's there, but it's not the first option for Albert. He's a player who moves the puck and is very good in his own zone."
The left-shot Johansson is also an equally effective performer on either side of a defensive pairing.
"Very stable and can play both on the right and left side as a defender," Lidstrom said. "He is very good on the right side, too.
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"There are not many left-handed shooters who are also good on their off side. His game sense and skating are so good that he can play on both sides."
Red Wings Icon Played With Johansson's Father
Johansson is the son of former NHL defenseman Roger Johansson. Lidstrom was an international teammate of Roger Johansson on Sweden's national team.
"We played together during the World Cup in the mid-1990s," Lidstrom said.
He does see similarities in the playing styles of father and son.
A little bit," Lidstrom said. "He was also a fighter, just like Albert is. A warrior who gave everything for the team.
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"I think you see this in Albert, too. Then I think Albert is a better skater. An incredibly flexible and nice skater."
The post Red Wings Legend Sings Praises of Albert Johansson appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now .
