Erik Johnson has hung up his skates.
The Colorado Avalanche confirmed on Wednesday the 37-year-old defenceman has retired after 17 NHL seasons.
Johnson was a member of the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup-winning team.
A native of Bloomington, MN, Johnson was originally taken with the first overall selection of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft out the United States National Team Development Program by the St. Louis Blues. Midway through his third season with the club in 2011, Johnson was shipped to the Avs.
Johnson would go on to spend the next 13 seasons in Denver before signing with the Buffalo Sabres as a free agent ahead of the 2023-2024 season. At the 2024 trade deadline, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. After re-signing with the Flyers in the summer of 2024, he was traded back to the Avs at the 2025 deadline where he finished his career.
Johnson appeared in a combined 36 games last season for the Flyers and Avs, recording two goals and three assists while averaging 14:35 of ice time a night.
For his career, Johnson notched 95 goals and 253 assists in 1,023 games, averaging 20:38 of ice time.
Internationally, Johnson representing the United States on a number of occasions, including as part of a silver medal-winning effort at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
