Maple Leafs Prospect Victor Johansson Enters Crucial Evaluation Phase

Victor Johansson, the Toronto Maple Leafs 2024 fourth round pick, was named to the Swedish team for the World Junior Summer Showcase, a tournament that serves as an audition for the World Juniors in the winter.

Johansson is one of eight defensemen named to the Swedish team, with a chance to contend for a top spot on the team's blueline.

The tournament starts this upcoming Sunday, July 27th, and will end on August 2nd. Practices will begin on July 25th.

For spots, Johansson will be battling 2024 second round picks Alfons Freij (Winnipeg), Leo Sahlin Wallenius (San Jose), and Gabriel Eliasson (Ottawa) on the left-hand side, along with 2025 first rounder Sascha Boumedienne, also of the Winnipeg Jets, as well as the undrafted and undersized 5'8 Felix Ohrqvist and the very much not-undersized 6'7 Carl-Otto Magnusson, with Viggo Gustaffson, a Nashville third rounder, also on the mix.

All these players are left-handed, meaning there will be a major imbalance on the side for players having to play outside their comfort zone on their off-hand position. It would be likely to think Eliasson plays on the right side.

In a move that was expected, first round picks Anton Frondell (Chicago) & Victor Eklund (NY Islanders) will not be on the team for Sweden, both forwards having played in the Swedish second league playoffs for Djurgårdens, earning promotion to the SHL in a hard-battled postseason against men.

Both are likely to be key contributors for the World Juniors if healthy.

Besides Johansson, no Leafs player appears poised to contend for the World Juniors. Ben Danford was not invited to Canada's WJSS, and Tinus Luc Koblar's Norway did not qualify for the main tournament.

Johansson, who was drafted 120th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, was largely an unknown to many at the times of his draft, a stocky player at 6'0 and a shocking 146lbs due to medical issues, Johansson is now at a more respectable, albeit still undersized 165.

For Leksands in Sweden's U20, Johansson has flourished as a strong puck-moving defenseman who has been able to log heavy minutes on both the power play and penalty kill, although is still working to solidify his defensive game and get more physical with his lack of a muscular frame.

Next season will be an important step upwards for Johansson, who has already shown glimpses of upside and was rewarded with five SHL games, hopefully able to potentially make the jump soon for Leksands, along with teammate and fellow Leafs prospect Koblar.

This tournament will be a major factor in showcasing how ready Victor Johansson is to be one of the most promising players in Sweden, and present another leap forward in the raw talent that he was drafted on and molding it into a more secure and projectable floor.