March 07, 2025
Kyle Ross/Imagn Images
Erik Johnson fell out of the lineup, but was a valued veteran presence for the Flyers' developing blueline.
The Flyers are sending Erik Johnson back to Colorado with one more move pushed through before Friday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
They're getting winger Givani Smith in return, general manager Danny Brière confirmed, an enforcer on an expiring deal who, coincidentally enough, fought Johnson earlier in the season after he tried to take a run at Matvei Michkov. Smith was in the AHL for Colorado and will report to Lehigh Valley, Brière said.
Erik Johnson scores a goal and then drops the gloves with Givani Smith for messing with Matvei Michkov 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/W6vqUUl74I
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 12, 2024
Johnson was acquired by the Flyers at last season's trade deadline as a veteran addition to a developing blue line, and to help with what was, at the time, a surprise playoff push.
That run stalled out down the stretch, though, but even so, Johnson re-signed with the Flyers for this season to fill in as defensive depth and to help in keeping a young locker room steering forward.
He crossed the 1,000-game mark back in November, and was on Emil Andrae's pairing as the young defenseman started to find his footing in the NHL, but as the year progressed, Johnson fell out of the lineup in an effort to try and make way for players who were going to fit the long-term picture.
It was similar to the role that Marc Staal occupied in 2023-24 for his final year in the NHL, and what head coach John Tortorella said was communicated to Johnson at various points from the moment he re-upped.
Johnson served the job well, especially when the team learned that Michkov was coming over early – he was among the first on the Flyers to reach out.
Now the 36-year old will rejoin Colorado, the team he spent 13 years and won a Stanley Cup with in 2022, for one more playoff push.
"Eric's case, it was more of a favor to him, to give him a chance to go chase a Cup in a place that he played a lot of years and that he still has lots of friends," Brière said. "It's not something that we were really looking forward to do. It was more for him, to give him the chance to chase it one more time."
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