Erik Johnson Will ‘Bring a Good Balance’ to Avs

Avalanche fans hoped it would happen and it did — Erik Johnson has returned to Colorado. The 36-year-old defenseman does not know his role with the team just yet, but he is certainly an important piece off the ice and in the locker room.

“I try and have a smile on my face every day, goof around. I’m serious when I need to be but have fun when needed as well. I bring a good balance with that, but there’s so many good leaders in that locker room,” Johnson said. “We had the secret sauce three years ago, and everything jived and worked together, and everyone had a big part of that. And some were bigger pieces of the puzzle, some were smaller. So I hope I can add whatever they need from me, I’m going to do. I’m just going to be myself, and I think that’s what they value.”

Of course, three years ago, Johnson won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche and was an intricate part of that championship team. He said he was here to win and not to retire and was thankful Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere was able to get him back to his “home” team.

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“It’s unbelievable. It was a whirlwind of emotions yesterday. Kind of went down to the last minute there, wasn’t sure if anything was going to get done, but it all worked out. I was just super excited and super grateful to the Flyers organization,” Johnson said. “Danny Briere didn’t have to do that for me, but really nice of him, my former teammate, and really enjoyed my time with him and my time in Philly.”

Johnson spent 13 years with the Avs and played 717 games, trailing only Adam Foote (967) among franchise defensemen. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2006, then traded to the Avs in 2010-11. He played the second-most seasons of any blueliner in franchise history behind Foote who played 17.

Although Johnson is familiar with the team and organization, there are a lot of new faces in the room since he left. But he is happy to be back with teammates he knows and created long-standing friendships with.

“Excited to meet all the new guys, excited to reunite with all my old friends, but just a super special experience for me to come back and be with these guys and try and win again,” Johnson said. “We have the team to do it. And I just want to get started and do whatever I can. I’m here to win another Cup, and that’s the main goal.”

The Bloomington, Minnesota native signed with the Buffalo Sabres as a free agent in the 2023 offseason and was traded to the Flyers on March 8, 2024. He signed a one-year deal with Philly and played his 1,000th game on Nov. 16, 2024.

“We know what EJ is, and we feel like he’s a guy that can help provide us something to win hockey games — size, puck moving ability. He’s a committed defender, and just from talking to EJ on the phone yesterday, he’s willing to do whatever it takes, in whatever role, as big or as small as that will be, to try and help us win,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “I love that attitude. Getting him back in the room — he’s a guy with a lot of personality, and that’s good for our team. He’s really excited to be here, and we’re excited to get him back.”

Johnson is not above doing anything for this team — even if it’s “to shovel snow between whistles.”