Marcus Johansson continues in the NHL – and Färjestad has to wait for his dream signing.
But it could have looked different if it were not for a certain player loss.
– He has always been the big draw, says Johansson to VF.
Färjestad enters the next season as the reigning Swedish champions, and they have not directly been on the side of laziness when it comes to new acquisitions. Among the signings, Theodor Lennström, the star defender, stands out above all, but it is clear that they will have a really strong team next season as well.
Missed the dream recruitment
But it could actually have been even better. Färjestad has long hoped for the NHL Swede Marcus Johansson, and during the summer he had an expiring contract, which made many hope. Sports director Rickard Wallin was open about dreaming of Johansson, but that did not happen.
This week, Johansson signed a new contract with Washington Capitals, and Johansson will thus remain at least another year before he returns home to Sweden. It is not surprising in itself, considering that Johansson still gets a lot of playing time in the league, but a detail could have changed the outcome for Färjestad.
“Be the big draw”
Martin Johansson was involved and won gold with Färjestad this spring, but has now had to leave the club. He is a brother to Marcus, and they have both dreamed of playing together. That weighed in on the decision not to return home, Marcus now says.
– There were really no strange things. Me and “Walle” had a good dialogue but I was open and said I want to stay in the NHL for another year. Then it is clear that it might have been a little different if my brother Martin continued to play, he has always been the big draw to come home because we so want to play together, he says to Värmlands Folkblad.
However, Marcus Johansson does not consider it impossible to return home to Färjestad later in his career.
– Absolutely. The door to Färjestad will always be open, but then you never know what will happen. As long as I feel that the body holds and that I can contribute, Färjestad is definitely an alternative, but right now I feel that I have some good years in the NHL where I thrive and can be in a team that suits me, he says.
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