Erik Johnson Thanks Avalanche Organization And Fans In Final Goodbye

Everyone knows the quote – “Don’t be sad because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” And unfortunately, Erik Johnson’s long run with the Colorado Avalanche has come to an end.

But while the big defenseman signed with the Buffalo Sabres yesterday, he didn’t immediately forget about the organization he’s spent over a decade with. On social media, he sent out a heartfelt message thanking the team (and the fans) for everything.

I’ll link both his Twitter and Instagram message. It’s the same message, but Twitter is a mess right now, so people might not be able to read it.

Thank you, Avalanche. Thank you, Denver. Thank you, Colorado. Love you always. -EJ pic.twitter.com/KSxFJIQg6B

— Erik Johnson (@6ErikJohnson) July 2, 2023

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A post shared by Erik Johnson (@6erikjohnson6)

It will be very strange walking into the locker room and not seeing big #6 there. He’s been a staple on the team since 2011, but like he said, all good things come to an end. It sounds like the Avalanche are bringing back the other Johnson for another year, so they’ll have some veteran presence in the locker room, but no one can replace EJ.

Farewell, EJ, and best of luck in Buffalo.