Avalanche season grades: Erik Johnson

It’s Erik Johnson’s turn to get his BSN Denver season grade and go on with his summer. No doubt, this has weighed heavily on his mind.

Let’s get to it:

OVERVIEW

It was all going so well for Erik Johnson, as the season entered the final third. A distant memory were the snide jokes of him being a No 1 pick “bust”, as he was having one of his best seasons, the true backbone and leader of the Avs’ defense. He was still in the top 10 of NHL minutes leaders, and his offensive game was starting to pick up too.

Then came the injuries. First, a freak one on Feb. 18 against Edmonton where he threw out his shoulder trying to administer a check. Initially, it was feared Johnson would be lost for the rest of the season, but no – he returned a month later. Things were going well again when, on March 28, his season really did end for good. He crashed into the boards in the second period of a game that night against Philadelphia. He played on, but after the game it was revealed he suffered a fractured kneecap. Six weeks or so was the prognosis. If the Avs had made it to the Western Conference finals, he could have returned. We know that didn’t happen.

Johnson finished as seventh in the NHL in average minutes per game (25:26). He averaged 5:26 per game playing on special teams. He blocked 135 shots, a career high, and administered 114 hits in 62 games. One of the frustrations with Johnson’s game is his relatively small offensive numbers. For a guy with as much skill with the puck as he has, you wish he could produce more points. But 25 is a respectable number, and Johnson has had to sacrifice some of his offensive game to focus more on play in his own end. He is generally smart with the puck, doesn’t turn it over a lot and is able to skate it out effectively. He is probably already back to full health, so fans can expect him to be his normal self when play resumes.

BIGGEST MOMENT

I’m going to go with a Jan. 20 game against the New York Rangers, in which EJ had a goal and assist and was a plus-3 in a win. Johnson was given the game’s No. 1 star, and he seemed to get a little emotional when talking to the crowd as part of Altitude’s on-ice interview. It was a great moment for him, as he really does care about this team and this community.

WHAT’S NEXT

Johnson has five years left on a contract that pays $6 million per season. So, unless there’s a trade, he’s not going anywhere. I definitely don’t expect a trade either.

FINAL GRADE

B+

It’s really too bad, what happened to Johnson at the end. If anyone deserved to enjoy the team making the playoffs for the first time in four years, it was him. He’s a gamer and a solid citizen, and he obviously would have upped the chances of the Avs pulling off a first-round upset on Nashville had he played.

Johnson can still frustrate you at times with his smallish offensive production. That’s probably why I didn’t give out an A grade. I realize he wants to focus more on the defensive end, but a guy with his overall talent still should be able to get 30-40 points. Otherwise, he’s a solid defenseman and I think he’ll still be real good for the next few years.