The Washington Capitals increased the depth of their forwards for a stretch roughly four hours before the March 21 NHL trade deadline. Markus Johansson will return to DC as Capitals general manager Brian McLellan acquired the Swedish forward from the Seattle Cracken.
Chris Johnston of TSN was the first to report trading interest this morning as well as first officially confirmed.
Samantha Pell of the Washington Post there were details about returning to Seattle which includes Daniel Sprong and the draft chooses. Johnston have a draft choice as a 2022 fourth round pick and a 2023 sixth round pick. Kraken will also retain 50 percent of Johansson’s contract.
NEWS | The Washington Capitals acquired forward Marcus Johansson from the Seattle Cracken in exchange for forward Daniel Sprong, a 2022 fourth-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick. Seattle will retain 50% of Johansson’s contract.#ALLCAPS | @FTX_Official
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2022
Johansson has earned $1.5 million this season and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Johansson was originally drafted by the Caps in 2009 and scored 290 points in 501 career games with the team.
Mojo was traded to the New Jersey Devils prior to the 2017–18 season in exchange for multiple draft picks.
Markus Johansson returns to Washington.
He is a decent striker from the bottom six, who is good in transitions, but scores little. pic.twitter.com/GoSHhsgI4t
— Andy and Rono (@ARHockeyStats) March 21, 2022
The Swedish forward has played on Seattle’s second line on the left flank, but as we all know, he is capable of replacing all three forward positions. This season he has 23 points in 51 games.
The involvement of multiple picks in addition to Sprong indicates that the Kraken’s price was to keep 50 percent of Johansson’s salary, making a nearly one-for-one exchange for Sprong’s $725K salary.
Sprong fell out of favor with head coach Peter Laviolette several times during his tenure with the Caps. He was badly scratched in four straight games at the end of February and four more recent games in March before injuries forced him back into the roster. The Dutch winger has scored 14 points in 47 games this season.
Daniel Sprong (traded to Seattle along with several draft picks) – Weak defensive forward with a good shot. This is the kind of player Seattle carefully avoided in the expansion draft. pic.twitter.com/8OttJpWxuQ
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@InefficientMath) March 21, 2022
More from Capitals:
Capitals acquire Marcus Johansson from Seattle Craken
The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Marcus Johansson from the Seattle Cracken to replace forward Daniel Sprong, who will be drafted in the 2022 fourth round and 2023 sixth round, senior vice president and general manager Brian McLellan announced today. Seattle will retain 50% of Johansson’s contract.
Johansson, 31, a native of Landskrona, Sweden, has 23 points (6g, 17a) in 51 games for the Kraken this season.
The 6-foot-1 and 203-pound forward played seven seasons with Washington from 2010 to 2017, scoring 290 points (102g, 188a) in 501 games. Johansson is one of only 31 players in franchise history to play 500 games for the Capitals.
In 735 career games with the Washington, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabers, Minnesota Wild and Seattle, Johansson scored 401 points (141g, 260g).
Johansson also scored 41 points (13g, 28a) in 97 career playoff games, including three game-winning goals and an overtime game-winner with the Capitals on April 23, 2017 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Johansson was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, 24th overall. He is one of 14 players in the 2009 draft class to score 400 points.
Johansson represented Sweden at the Olympic Games (2014) and World Junior Championships (2009, 2010). Johansson won the silver medal with Sweden at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, won the bronze medal and captained Sweden at the 2010 World Junior Championships, and won the silver medal with Sweden at the 2009 World Junior Championships.
Sprong, 25, has 14 points (8g, 6a) in 47 games this season. The 6-foot-0, 193-pound forward has 34 points (21g, 13a) in 89 games for the Capitals. The Capitals acquired Sprong from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Christian Juice on February 24, 2020.
This story is still developing.