Johansson Excited to Join Avalanche

It's been a busy, but exciting 24 hours for Jonas Johansson.
After getting the news that the Colorado Avalanche acquired him on Saturday morning, he packed up and made the trek to Denver to start getting acquainted with his new squad.
"First reaction was I was really excited," said the goaltender. "It's been an intense 24 hours for me with travel and getting everything together, but the main feeling is just I am really pumped up and really excited about coming here and being with this organization. I am just really excited."

The Avs acquired the 25-year-old from the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. Once the transaction was official, Johansson traveled to the Mile High City to participate in an optional practice with the team on Sunday before hitting the road again for a back-to-back set at the Arizona Coyotes on Monday and Tuesday.

Prior to joining Colorado, Johansson was familiar with a few members of the Avalanche. He played against fellow netminder Adam Werner over the years while developing in Sweden and played for his country's junior national team with Andre Burakovsky.
"I don't think I have met the whole team yet, but everyone has been really great and greeting me, welcoming, it's just been really great so far meeting all the guys," Johansson said. "Got a big job ahead learning all the names and stuff, but I am excited and sure it will work out great. The last 24 hours has just been, I don't know, I believe its 24 hours now since I started packing my apartment in Buffalo and heading here. We are all settled in now and ready to go to work."
Johansson has spent parts of four seasons with the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans, and recorded a 25-11-4 record, .908 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average in 41 career appearances. During the 2019-20 campaign, he went 14-4-3 and ranked sixth among all AHL netminders in goals-against average (2.28) and seventh in save percentage (.921), earning a selection to the AHL All-Star Game.

He made his NHL debut in a relief appearance on Feb. 4, 2020 against the Avs and made 13-of-14 saves in 29:34 in the contest.
"I had to go in in the second period in Buffalo against Colorado. I will never forget that moment obviously," said Johansson. "It's a big step in my career to get my first minutes. I remember (Mikko) Rantanen scored a goal pretty quickly on me, but after that I felt good. I felt confident in the game, and I was comfortable. It's a little funny that I am sitting here right now, and my first minutes were against the Avalanche. It's just a fun story I guess."
Through 13 NHL appearances, he owns a 1-8-2 career NHL record with a 3.40 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.
"From all the things that we've heard, our guys have scouted him--mostly in the American League in years past--and he's been on a steady progression and getting better and on a good development path… We're looking to getting him in the fold," head coach Jared Bednar said on Saturday. "Anytime you can get a goalie that is on the rise and developing properly, and he's 6-foot-5, those are the types of guys that we're excited to get. So, we'll get him in here and see what he can do and get him a couple practices and then make a plan for him."