There has been nothing slow about the development of Loke Johansson. The Boston Bruins wanted him to get to North America as soon as possible after drafting him in the sixth round of the 2024 draft. It turned out to be the best-case scenario for them, as the defenseman ended up joining the Moncton Wildcats, led by one of the better amateur coaches in the world, Gardiner MacDougall.
The Wildcats had a tough showing during the 2023-24 season, which led them to go on a coaching search. It started and ended with MacDougall, who led the University of New Brunswick to an undefeated National Championship season. MacDougall is a proven winner, especially in the QMJHL, where he joined the Saint John Sea Dogs as an interim head coach in 2022 after their elimination from the league playoffs and led them to a Memorial Cup on home ice.
Very excited to see what Loke Johansson can do in the AHL next season. Strong defender pic.twitter.com/ArTLPAPoFB
— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) July 22, 2025
MacDougall didn't stay with Saint John; his loyalty stayed with UNB for another two seasons, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to coach players like Caleb Desnoyers and Johansson for the 2024-25 season. He turned the Wildcats into an instant contender, leading them to a QMJHL Championship and his second appearance in the Memorial Cup. While they didn't finish the job and win the title, Johansson's development under the coach made him look like a sixth-round steal.
Providence Bruins' injuries have one prospect defenseman on the fast track
The Memorial Cup was the last junior game for Johansson. It's not often that a sixth-round pick goes to the AHL in his second year removed from the draft, which made it unsurprising when he started the year with the Maine Mariners. He didn't look out of place in his first year of pro, showing why the Bruins' scouting department saw something in the big-bodied defenseman who doesn't showcase a whole lot of offensive talent but does plenty of little things well.
In a perfect world, Johansson would've stayed a bit longer in the ECHL. However, Victor Soderstrom, Max Wanner, and Ty Gallagher's injuries in Providence are causing the Bruins to accelerate Johansson's timeline. It isn't the easiest situation to be thrown into, as Providence's 10-1-0 record adds some extra pressure on him to perform.
Johansson's quick recall is an interesting development for the Bruins. The left-shot defenseman is nowhere near being a full-time NHLer, but the future of Mason Lohrei is murky with his recent stretch of healthy scratches. With one year remaining on his deal after this one, do the Bruins have an early favorite to take Lohrei's spot in the future if things don't work out?