Avs play better with E.J. on ice
NASHVILLE, TENN.» With an “A” on his chest and two key statistics attached to his name, the Avalanche’s Erik Johnson could be considered one of the NHL’s top defenseman. Colorado’s firstyear alternate captain is fourth in the league in average ice time (26 minutes, 27 seconds) and fourth among defensemen in plus-minus rating (plus-6).
Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said Johnson has long deserved public recognition as a primary leader for the organization. Johnson’s first full season with the Avs was 2011-12, which was Landeskog’s rookie year. They were roommates on the road and now are the best of friends.
“For as long as I’ve been here, he’s always been one of those guys that’s kind of driving the bus here,” Landeskog, 24, said of Johnson, 29. “He got recognized with it this year with an A on his chest. But you could have given him an A a few years ago. Whether or not he’s got an A, he’s still going to be the same E.J., and that’s what’s special about him: He leads by example and he’s a fun guy to be around.”
Johnson, 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, has become the defenseman almost everyone envisioned when he was selected No. 1 overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2006 draft. But he has always wanted to be as good a leader as a player.
“I always try to do the right things and all that, but I think I had to kind of work on my own game first. In the first couple years here, I had to get my own game in order,” said Johnson, who was traded to Colorado late in his third season with the Blues (2010-11). “Once the on-the-ice clicked for me, I think the off-ice followed. Over the past four, five years, I’ve tried to lead by example on and off the ice.
“That’s not just saying the right things at the right time. It’s doing the right things at the right time. A lot of it is what you do off the ice. We’re only on the ice a fraction of the time compared to how much time we’re together off the ice. What you do off the ice is just as important as what you’re doing on the ice.”
Johnson missed 12 weeks last season with a broken fibula. He went down Dec. 3 against Dallas when the Avs were 9-12-1. When he returned Feb. 25, Colorado was 1640-3, going 7-28-2 in Johnson’s absence.
“For me as a captain, it’s great to have a guy like that for support,” Landeskog said of Johnson.
“We’re a good tandem as far as bouncing ideas off each other in things we think could help the team,” Johnson said. “He can’t do it all by himself. He truly needs support in that role, and that was some of the conversations I had with (general manager) Joe (Sakic) over the summer, in supporting Gabe better and becoming a better leader. It’s still early but I like the way things are going.”