New Jersey Devils: Trade Marcus Johansson to the Boston Bruins
After months of speculation, the New Jersey Devils made their move. They traded winger Marcus Johansson to the Boston Bruins. The Bruins sent back a 2nd-round pick in 2019 and a 4th-round pick in 2020.
Marcus Johansson’s time in New Jersey was short and felt even shorter than it actually was because of injuries. He was just recently started to play well, but his contract is expiring after this season so he was clearly trade bait for a team that is for sure not making it to the playoffs.
The Bruins are getting a pretty good left wing that can play a few different roles with them. He could play on second line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak or he could even get some third line time on a line with newly acquired Bruins center Charlie Coyle.
Johansson missed pretty much the entire second half on the 2017-18 season because he was elbowed in the head by Bruins forward Brad Marchand. Marchand was suspended for 5 games as a result and Johansson was quoted after saying it was “stupid” and “not a hockey play”.
Now those two will be teammates and have an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup together. They will put this behind them and aim to achieve a common goal.
More from Pucks and Pitchforks
- Should New Jersey Devils Try Load Management With Vitek Vanecek?
- New Jersey Devils Will Prove That Last Year Wasn’t A Fluke
- New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes’ Playmaking Will Outshine His Mistakes
- New Jersey Devils: Chase Stillman’s Performance Causes Concern
- Can Devils Fans Separate Zach Parise Heartbreak From Achievements?
As for the Bruins as a team, they are getting a pretty good player here and a very good guy according to all people who know him. Johansson has played 48 games for the Devils this season, and he has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points.
Most of the points have come in recent weeks when he was on the top line with Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. It is unfair that Taylor Hall and Johansson were rarely ever both healthy in the lineup and playing at their best, but that is how it goes sometimes.
That line was just starting to gel together but it proves that Johansson can play with a great centerman and good wingers opposite him, and Boston can provide that in multiple different ways. We will miss Johansson as a fan base and his production likely can’t be replaced this season but the hope is it will be as early as next season.