(S66 Class) D - Mats Johnsson

[Enorama 2,039]

Position: D
Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs
Jersey Number: 64
Drafted: S57 2nd round, 12th overall, Stockholm Vikings
Username: Quik

 

After a humble start to his career, slipping out of the first round of the S57 VHL Entry Draft, starting his career on the now-defunct Stockholm Vikings, and not making the playoffs in either of his first two seasons, Johnsson really took his stride and took it quickly starting in S59 when he stormed his way to his first Continental Cup. It was only three seasons later when he would repeat the feat and in the back half of his career he collected a pair of best defensive defenseman trophies. This recognition of Johnsson's defensive prowess makes it even more impressive that he finished his career at over a point per game pace, collecting 603 points across 576 career regular season games and 87 points across 72 career playoff games.

 

Career Awards

S59 Continental Cup
S61 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenceman)
S62 Continental Cup
S62 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)
S63 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Overall Defenceman)
S63 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)

 

S57

Regular Season
57 (STO) | 72GP | 8G - 20A - 28P | -44 | 105SHT | 9HIT | 0GWG

As mentioned above, Johnsson started his career in a rather lackluster fashion. Sitting at a tidy -44 and just under 30 points in his rookie season, he already had a hill to climb if he was ever going to make a name for himself in the VHL.

 

S58

Regular Season
58 (CGY) | 72GP | 10G - 43A - 53P | -33 | 138SHT | 67HIT | 0GWG

After contraction at the end of S57, Stockholm merged into the Calgary Wranglers franchise, and continued being not very good for S58. Johnsson himself did his best to pick himself up in his sophomore season, nearly doubling his point totals and more than septupling his hit count over those of his rookie campaign, but Calgary still floundered at the bottom of the league. In the off-season following S58, Johnsson was a part of a blockbuster multi-team deal that saw two 1sts and a 2nd move to Calgary (one of which would later turn into Reign star Edwin Preencarnacion), Adam Warlock move to the Québec Meute, and Johnsson move to the Seattle Bears.

 

S59

Regular Season
59 (SEA) | 72GP | 9G - 59A - 68P | +17 | 145SHT | 18HIT | 1GWG
Playoffs
59 (SEA) | 16GP | 2G - 19A - 21P | +12 | 34SHT | 9HIT | 1GWG

The S59 regular season is when Johnsson finally began finding his stride. Although he couldn't quite broach the point-per-game mark, he found himself in the plus column for the first time in his career. He and the rest of the Bears entered the playoffs ready to rumble. It was then that Johnsson kicked his performance up to another level, counting for 21 points in 16 playoff games en route to his first Continental Cup.

 

S60

Regular Season
60 (SEA) | 72GP | 10G - 67A - 77P | +44 | 230SHT | 83HIT | 1GWG
Playoffs
60 (SEA) | 6GP | 1G - 4A - 5P | 0 | 15SHT | 11HIT | 0GWG

Some Bears players may have suffered from cup hangover, but not Johnsson. He powered through S60, setting personal records in every statistical category. Come playoff time, the Bears were not up to the task, with Johnsson himself counting for a respectable 5 points and 11 hits in 6 games. In the off-season following their disappointing playoff exit, Seattle shipped off Johnsson in what may be the most lopsided deal in VHL history. To the Wranglers went Johnsson, fellow Hall of Famer Gabriel McAllister, and Otto Axelsson in return for the 1st overall pick, which the Bears used to select goaltender Roger Sterling. Some argued that either one of Johnsson or McAllister would have been worth more than the first overall pick, never mind both of them combined. 

 

S61

Regular Season
61 (CGY) | 72GP | 25G - 70A - 95P | +51 | 323SHT | 137HIT | 8GWG
Playoffs
61 (CGY) | 14GP | 5G - 9A - 14P | -7 | 48SHT | 36HIT | 1GWG

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his trip out to calgary, Johnsson wasted no time shredding the VHL with 95 points in his first season playing for a Canadian team. Once again, he set career highs in every category, especially impressing with his 137 hits. Although he finished just shy of 100 points, his offensive numbers were good enough to earn him his first individual trophy, an Alexander Valiq trophy as the best offensive defenseman. Unfortunately for Johnsson and the rest of the Wranglers, they would fall just short of a Continental Cup.

 

S62

Regular Season
62 (CGY) | 72GP | 24G - 89A - 113P | +68 | 318SHT | 223HIT | 3GWG
Playoffs
62 (CGY) | 13GP | 4G - 13A - 17P | +14 | 34SHT | 45HIT | 1GWG

Picking up right where he left off from the season prior, Johnsson broke his previous career best figures in assists, points, plus-minus, and hits. Funnily enough, although he actually improved his offensive numbers after winning the trophy as the best offensive defenseman, he didn't earn that honour for a second year in a row, rather, his hits and shots blocked were enough for him to get the nod for the Jake Wylde trophy as the best defensive defenseman in the VHL. After coming close enough to taste a cup in S61, Calgary came just a little closer in S62, and they brought the Cup home to Alberta. Johnsson himself averaged over 3 hits and 1 point per game over the course of the playoff run.

 

S63

Regular Season
63 (CGY) | 72GP | 25G - 70A - 95P | +61 | 240SHT | 285HIT | 4GWG
Playoffs
63 (CGY) | 12GP | 5G - 11A - 16P | +2 | 26SHT | 40HIT | 0GWG

As is bound to happen to anyone flying so high, Johnsson eventually had to come back down. Fortunately for him, coming back down still meant he piled 95 points onto his career total and bested his career best hitting totals by a margin of 62. Once again, Calgary came heartbreakingly close to a Cup, losing in the finals in 7 games. Johnsson himself collected a pair of individual awards, his second Wylde for top defensive defenseman and his first Sterling Labatte trophy as the top overall defenseman in the VHL. Following the playoff loss, Calgary kicked off a rebuild, sending off Norris Stopko, Oyorra Arroyo, Keaton Louth, Mats Johnsson, and others. Johnsson was shipped to Helsinki in a deal involving a 1st round pick coming the other way and a 2nd round pick swap.

 

S64

Regular Season
64 (HSK) | 72GP | 23G - 51A - 74P | +27 | 225SHT | 162HIT | 5GWG
Playoffs
64 (HSK) | 11GP | 2G - 12A - 14P | -1 | 35SHT | 32HIT | 1GWG

As regression took its toll, Johnsson was weary for his final VHL season. Even in a low season by his standards, the defenseman still crossed the point per game threshold and recorded over 150 hits. Helsinki entered the playoffs at the lower end of the field, but managed to surprise the league by making it into the finals before they were unceremoniously dumped by the Toronto Legion in four games.

 

Career Totals

Regular Season
576GP | 134G - 469A - 603P | +191 | 1724SHT | 984HIT | 22GWG
Playoffs
72GP | 19G - 68A - 87P | +20 | 192SHT | 173HIT | 4GWG

Mostly recognized for his defensive prowess, a few spectacularly offensive seasons propelled Johnsson to superstardom and a berth in the VHL Hall of Fame. He was quickly voted in with the class of S66, collecting 7 of the 10 votes for player induction.

Edited August 26, 2019 by Enorama