The 1,000-game veteran is bypassing NHL free agency to return home. Following a productive stint in Minnesota, the forward prioritizes family stability with a homecoming to Färjestad.
After a long NHL career, veteran forward Marcus Johansson is heading back home.
According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, the pending unrestricted free agent has decided to leave North America and sign in Sweden, returning to his former club Färjestad BK in the SHL.
It’s a bit of a surprise, especially given Johansson is coming off a strong bounce-back year with the Minnesota Wild. The 35-year-old put up 15 goals and 49 points in 75 regular-season games, his second-highest total across 16 NHL seasons. He also added four goals in 11 playoff games, giving Minnesota some useful secondary scoring down the stretch. The Wild were reportedly open to bringing him back, but he ultimately chose not to test NHL free agency.
There’s also a sense that this is about life more than hockey at this point. Johansson has played over 1,000 NHL games, moved through six different organizations, and dealt with multiple mid-season trades along the way. From Sweden, the decision seems to come down to stability, especially if the right fit in Minnesota did not come together.
By going back to Färjestad, Johansson is essentially closing the loop. He started there between 2008 and 2010, won a league title, and then left to start his NHL career, where he went on to collect 566 points over 1,056 games.