Canucks sign defenceman Filip Johansson to two-year entry-level contract

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenceman Filip Johansson to a two-year entry-level contract

The 22-year-old is coming off his second season with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he recorded 11 points (three goals, eight assists), eight penalty minutes and a plus-5 defensive rating.

He added seven points (five goals, two assists) in nine playoff games to help the team reach the semifinals.

In 132 career SHL games split between Frolunda HC and Leksands IF, Johansson has registered 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) and 34 penalty minutes.

The six-foot-one, 176-pound defenceman was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round, 24th overall, at the 2018 NHL draft.

“Filip plays a solid defensive game and has shown consistent improvement over the past three seasons,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a release. “He will continue to develop his game in Sweden with Frolunda next season, but we look forward to welcoming him to Vancouver for development camp at UBC next month.”

On the international stage. Johansson helped Sweden to gold at the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and bronze at the 2017 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2018 IIHF World U18 Championship.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2022.