Wild add speed and playmaking ability in Marcus Johansson

Just five days after the Wild acquired Nick Bjugstad from the Pittsburgh Penguins, general manager Bill Guerin added another center on Wednesday night.
The Minnesota Wild acquired Marcus Johansson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Eric Staal.

Johansson, 29, recorded 30 points in 60 games for the Sabres last season and served as an alternate captain for the team.
"Kevyn [Adams] (Sabres general manager) and I have been talking for some time now," Guerin said. "We're getting a little bit younger. Marcus provides us with a lot of speed, a lot of skill. We look forward in adding him to the lineup."
Johansson is expected to have a big impact with the Wild in the 2020-21 season, the last season of his contract. Bill Guerin called him a "top-6 guy" and believes that his speed and playmaking ability can bring a lot to this Wild team.
"I like the playmaking ability," Guerin said. "I like him on the power play. I always admired his skill set, what he could do on the power play."
Like Bjugstad, Johansson is expected to play center, but both also have the ability to play on the wing.
"I see him as a center," Guerin said. "The thing I like about him, like Bjugstad, is they have the ability to play center and wing and that's valuable. We have him slated in as a center and that's where he likes to play. We'll see how he does but I'm confident he'll do well there."
Johansson grew up a centerman, but has spent a majority of his NHL career as a winger.
"It took me a while last year to get used to playing center again," Johansson said. "It's more defensive work in some way, I've been a winger for basically the last seven years before last year. It's two very different positions, but I think as a centerman you kind of get involved in the play more.
"I'm up to play wherever they want me to play. I'm just looking forward to it."
Along with Bjugstad and Johansson, the Wild have several other options at center, including Joel Eriksson Ek, who recorded a career high in goals and assists in 2019-20. Victor Rask, who scored 20 goals with the Hurricanes in 2015-16, could be in line for more playing time. He recorded five goals and eight assists in 43 games this past season. Nico Sturm could also be in the mix for a larger role next season. The 25-year-old recorded two points in six regular season games in 2019-20 and scored his first career NHL goal in Game 4 of the Western Conference Qualifying Round against Vancouver.

Johansson played for the Washington Capitals from 2010-2017 and overlapped with one important figure in the Wild locker room: Dean Evason.
Evason was an assistant coach for the Capitals during Johansson's first two years in the league.
"I haven't spoken to Dean yet, but I had him in an assistant coach in Washington," Johansson said. "We had a great relationship. He's a really good coach and I have great memories with him, just being an all-around great guy."
Johansson is currently in Sweden with his family as he prepares for the upcoming season and has been surrounded with a couple of other Wild players: Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek.
"I know Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek very well," he said. "I'm looking forward to playing with them. They only have good things to say about Minnesota and the organization.
"We live in the same city. We skate a lot. We work out a lot together. I'm really happy to play with them."
This trade also helped the Wild get a little bit younger, with Johansson, 29, being six years younger than Eric Staal.
"We have some younger guys in our room that need to step up and take more of a leadership role," Guerin said. "Eric [Staal] was a guy the younger guys relied on heavily for that.
"I felt this deal for Marcus just really made sense. Conversations will continue and if something feels right or looks to improve our team, I'll do it. I'm not too worried about the timing of things right now."