The Washington Capitals announced on Monday that they have recalled defenseman Lucas Johansen from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and have assigned him to the taxi squad.
Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny entered COVID protocol on Friday and will likely miss the Capitals game against the Penguins on Tuesday night. Defenseman Nick Jensen has been out with an upper-body injury and missed the last four games.
Lucas Johansen drops the hammer in overtime. Bears win 2-1. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Qan70ui5Kz
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) October 24, 2021
Johansen, 24, made his NHL debut and recorded his first NHL point on Dec. 31 versus the Detroit Red Wings. Johansen has recorded 13 points (3g, 10a) and a +16 plus/minus rating in 31 games with Hershey this season.
Kuzy ties it up in the second, plus Lucas Johansen tallies his first NHL point!
Go off, @Capitals rookies 🤩 pic.twitter.com/9Bp62R6wad
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) January 1, 2022
The Vancouver, British Columbia native is on pace to record 28 points this season, which would mark a new single-season AHL career high (2017-18: 6g-21a-27p in 74 games played).
Garret Pilon with a beautiful feed to Lucas Johansen for the Bears first goal of the season. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/QwJjKnwl48
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) October 16, 2021
In 164 career games with Hershey, Johansen has recorded 58 points (12g, 46a). Johansen was selected with the Capitals’ first-round pick, 28th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.
By Jon Sorensen
It’s been a long road for LuJo and it had been looking bleak for a few years but he seems to have made a jump and might still have a future in the NHL. Hoping for the best for him. Good Luck kid!
I thought it was not going to work out for him… Caps traded down for him and passed up Tage T..