When he agreed to return to the Philadelphia Flyers on a one-year, $1 million contract, 16-year NHL veteran Erik Johnson knew that he was undertaking a smaller role, something unfamiliar to him in years past.
Johnson, 36, was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2006 NHL Draft, and from that point forward became a tough, rugged, minute-munching defenseman for the St. Louis Blues and the Colorado Avalanche. Johnson’s Stanley Cup triumph with the latter was a big part of his return, according to Flyers general manager Danny Briere, and now the 6-foot-4 defenseman is ready to let his experience help usher in the next great generation of Flyers hockey.
“It’s definitely a little different. That kind of comes with being in the league a long time; I’m going into my 18th year, believe it or not. I think you have to adapt in this league,” Johnson said of his new role during a virtual press conference Wednesday morning. “I came into the league as a young, pretty much strictly power play offensive guy, and now I’ve turned into a defensive, penalty kill guy. You have to adapt to stay in the league and evolve.
“I talked with Torts at the end of the season, I talked with Danny, and just talking to my agent, Pat (Brisson)… they said, ‘This is probably the role you’d be slotted in for’, and honestly, I told them I’d be open for any role. I’m here to help these guys on and off the ice, whether it’s 20, 30, 40, 50 games, or whatever it is. My days of 25, 26 minutes a night are behind me, and I know that, and I’m comfortable with it. I never considered (retirement) just because I love the game and I love being around the rink. I’m going to try and play as long as I can.”
Johnson played 67 regular season games in 2023-24 between the Flyers and the Buffalo Sabres, having moved to his third team in a calendar year after being traded to Philadelphia at the NHL trade deadline. Despite all the bouncing around, Johnson’s passion for the game of hockey is tangible, and the Bloomington, Minnesota, native sits just 13 games away from the prestigious 1,000 games milestone.
Added Johnson: “It definitely factored into (playing again). If I had 1,000, I still think I’d want to come back and play for sure another year. I’ve talked to a lot of guys that have stepped into retirement; it’s been their choice, and they’ve all said, ‘Wait until they tell you ‘no more’, don’t do it yourself. Let them rip the jersey off you,’. So, I’m going to play as long as I can, as long as my body feels good and I still have that passion. Even in the gym right now, getting ready for another season, I still have that drive.
“A thousand games means a lot, but at the end of the day, with playoffs, I’ve played well over 1,000 games. If it wasn’t for injuries, I’d be at about 1,200 by now. It’s been a rough road with that, but I’m still enjoying it. It’d be a great thrill to get to 1,000 games–it’s not an easy feat–but it’s not the only reason I’m coming back.”
That grind will be a bit different for Johnson now that he has accepted his new role as a mentor for the Flyers, particularly for the young defensemen he mentioned by name. However, mentoring a young star entering a new country for essentially the first time in the form of Matvei Michkov represents a new challenge for Johnson, and a test of leadership as well.
“I’ve been doing my best to communicate with him via Instagram, and with the translation tool, it’s been pretty easy to do that. So, I’ve been communicating with him on Instagram just trying to get him comfortable. Any questions he has, I’m answering it for him. Even as an American guy, breaking into the league as a 19-year-old like I did back in 2007, I was super nervous being around the old guys.
“Even just being in a new city, a new country, a new language, new food, new everything, new rules, new ice sheet, all that… it’s super challenging, and I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for a young kid like Matvei coming over from Russia. I am familiar with him a little bit and talking to him on Instagram, like I mentioned, trying to help him any way I can. . . Looks like Philly has a great one on their hands for a long time.”
