There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who recognize Marcus Johansson as a top-six forward and those who choose to be wrong.
By the Numbers
| 82 | Games played |
| 16:29 | Average time on ice per game |
| 20 | Goals |
| 27 | Assists |
| 53.2% | Shot attempt percentage during 5v5 |
| 50.7% | Goal percentage during 5v5 |
Johansson’s on-ice shot-attempt percentage in 10-game running segments, according to War on Ice:
Pat’s Take
I’ve seen you, RMNB commenters. I’ve watched and waited as a large sect of you refused to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence that number 90 in red is a legitimate top six forward. I’ve dabbled in debate with some of you here and there. But mainly, I’ve watched and waited. When it came time to divvy up the season reviews here on RMNB, I had only one request: Give. Me. Marcus. Finally, Judgement Day is here. I come not to argue or fight with those of you who are wrong about Johansson. Instead, I come to enlighten.
I’ll be frank. Before the start of the season, I wasn’t sure where Johansson fit in the team’s long-term plans. At times, he was maddening, showing so much promise but not able to fulfill it. Then, at other times, he looked ready to take the next step to cement his role in the top six on this team. Good news: In 2014-15, Johansson took the next step.
385 forwards played 410 or more minutes in the 2014-15 season. The science isn’t exact, but a player finishing in or above the top 50 percentile in major categories, (192nd or better), could roughly be considered a top six forward. Here’s where Johansson’s season ranked in some major categories.
- Points: 47 (77th percentile)
- Goals: 20 (78th percentile)
- Assists: 27 (79th percentile)
- Points/60: 2.12 (71st percentile)
- Shot Attempt Percentage: 53.2 (74th percentile)
You get the point. Johansson’s production and possession is at a top-six level, and it’s not even really close.
Johansson was arguably the Caps’ most improved player this season. The biggest difference in his game was that he shot the puck more, leading him to set a career high in goals. Johansson increased his shot attempts per 60 from 6.86 in 2013-14 to 11.9. The increase of 5.04 shot attempts per 60 was the eighth biggest of any NHL forward. Critics might say that his individual shot generation only ranks in the 49th percentile, but those critics should look at the big picture, and not get hung up on this one number. For example, teammate Nick Backstrom, clearly a top-six forward, falls in the 20th percentile.
Johansson’s role on the power play can’t be overlooked either. The best power play in the league is not the best power play in the league without Johansson’s key role on zone entries. That sure seems like a quality a top-six forward would possess, eh?
And yet, still some of you will claim that he’s not consistent enough to be considered a top sixer. What I think you really mean when you say this is “he’s not as good as Backstrom or Alex Ovechkin.” If Johansson produced more “consistently”, he’d be an elite NHL forward. He’s not. But there’s a middle ground between not being elite and not being a top-six forward. That middle ground is where Johansson falls.
Mojo on RMNB
- Marcus kicked off playoff scoring for the Caps with the above snipe. He went on to record three more assists, but please don’t look at his plus/minus. Ouch. (Speaking of ouch– might this hit from Cal Clutterbuck been related to his rough postseason?)
- One of the poorly kept secrets of Johansson’s season was his chemistry with Andre Burakovsky.
- Twice this season, Johansson was Peter’s favorite thing of the week. It’s been a love fest for MJ90 on RMNB this season, and none of us saw that coming.
- Way back in January, Johansson got checked into the Caps bench by Philadelphia’s Luke Schenn (he’s the Schenn the Caps don’t try to kill a few times a year). Johansson’s stick hit Barry Trotz in the forehead, leaving a scar and setting up the next few bullets. First, the actual hit:
- Barry got a scar from it right on his forehead. We took it as a sign.
- Trotz IS Harry Potter. This was our excuse to finally do a sorting hat exercise. Mojo is a Ravenclaw. (Peter is in the exchange program at Beauxbatons.)
- Johansson tied his even-strength goal total from last season… in October. Granted, last season was the worst thing ever, but still.
- It’s hard to remember now, but the Caps actually had trouble generating 5v5 goals in November. (They still don’t press enough if you ask me.) Johansson and the beautiful neutral zone play you see below busted a 150-minute stretch of 5v5 goallessness for Washington. Yuck.
- The story was the same on the power play, where Johansson’s neutral-zone work was essential.
- It’s no Swedes on Bikes, but I’ll leave you with Jojo’s ice bucket challenge pic. Remember the ice bucket challenge? It was like the Harlem Shake, but with a heart.
Your Turn
What did you think of Johansson’s season? Do you think he took a step forward and firmly established himself as a top six forward? Or do you choose to be wrong?
Read more: Japers Rink
