WASHINGTON, DC – Lucas Johansen was on the ice for practice when Spencer Carbery called him out in front of the rest of the team. And then, yelling and stick taps from his teammates took over as he got the news he’d been waiting seven years to hear: he made the Washington Capitals.
Johansen, who was originally taken in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, has been through ups and downs over the course of his tenure in D.C., from injuries to setbacks to camps where he almost broke through but didn’t do enough to remain up at the NHL level. This time, though, things are different, as he did everything right to impress the coaching staff and stick with the big club.