The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the organization has acquired defenseman Erik Johnson from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Givani Smith.
Johnson, 36, returns to the Avalanche organization where he spent parts of 13 years from 2010-11 to 2022-23, the second-most seasons of any defenseman in franchise history (Adam Foote, 17). He dressed in 717 games with Colorado, trailing only Foote (967) among franchise blueliners, and skated in all 20 contests during the 2022 postseason in helping the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup. Johnson was named to the Avalanche's Quarter Century All-Second Team, consisting of top voted-on players who competed for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2024. He was also named to the Avalanche's 20th Anniversary Team in 2015.
Johnson has appeared in 22 games for the Flyers this season, notching three points (1g/2a). He played his 1,000th NHL game against the Avalanche on Nov. 18 at Wells Fargo Center.
The Bloomington, Minn., native has dressed in 1,009 NHL games, ranking him 26th among American-born defensemen. Selected first overall by St. Louis in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Johnson is just the sixth No. 1 overall defenseman to dress in over 1,000 games. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound blueliner has recorded 346 points (94g/252a) during his 17-year NHL career with the Blues, Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres and Flyers.
Johnson has added 13 points (5g/8a) in 55 Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Avalanche. He recorded five points (1g/4a) with a +10 plus/minus rating during the Avalanche’s Cup run of 2022
A product of the United States National Team Development Program, Johnson helped Team USA capture the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He also helped the United States win the bronze medal at both the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm/Helsinki and 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden. His international experience also includes participating in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Johnson made his NHL debut with the Blues in 2007-08 and spent his first two-plus seasons with St. Louis before being acquired by Colorado on Feb. 18, 2011. He has 246 points (68g/178a) as a member of the Avalanche, ranking him sixth among franchise blueliners. Johnson set a career high with 30 assists and tied his personal best with 39 points in 2013-14 and followed that up by being selected to his first NHL All-Star Game in 2014-15 (injured, did not participate). He signed a seven-year contract extension with Colorado prior to the 2015-16 campaign.
Following his draft selection, Johnson played one season at the University of Minnesota, where he was named to the 2006-07 WCHA All-Rookie Team. He was the second United States-born defenseman to be drafted first overall, following Bryan Berard in 1995.
