Johnson ‘never considered’ retirement, ‘comfortable’ with new role at Flyers

When he agreed to return to the Philadelphia Flyers on a one-year, $1 million contract, 16-year NHL veteran Erik Johnson knew he would be taking on a smaller role, something he hadn’t done in previous years.

Johnson, 36, was selected No. 1 overall in the 2006 NHL Draft and has since become a tough, rugged, minutes-munching defenseman for the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Johnson’s Stanley Cup win with the latter was a big part of his comeback, Flyers general manager Danny Briere said, and now the 6-foot-3 defenseman is ready to use his experience to help usher in the next great generation of Flyers hockey.

“It’s definitely a little different. That’s part of being in the league for 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 to Torts at the end of the season, I talked to Danny, and just my agent, Pat (Brisson)… they said, ‘This is probably the role you’d be considered for,’ and honestly I told them I’d be open to any role. I’m here to help these guys on and off the ice, whether it’s 20, 30, 40, 50 games, whatever. My days of 25, 26 minutes a night are behind me, and I know that, and I’m comfortable with it. I’ve never considered (retiring) just because I love the game and I love being in the rink. I’m going to try to play as long as I can.”

Johnson has played in 67 regular-season games in 2023-24 between the Flyers and Buffalo Sabres, having moved to his third team within a calendar year after being traded to Philadelphia at the NHL trade deadline. Despite the tossing and turning, Johnson’s passion for hockey is palpable, and the Bloomington, Minnesota, native is just 13 games shy of the prestigious 1,000-game milestone.

Johnson added: “It definitely played a part in (playing again). If I had 1,000, I still think I’d come back and definitely play another year. I’ve spoken to a lot of guys who’ve retired; it was their choice, and they all said, ‘Wait till they tell you ‘no more’, don’t do it yourself. Let them rip your shirt off’. 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 now when I’m in the gym, getting ready for another season, I still have that drive.

“A thousand games means a lot, but at the end of the day, with the play-offs, I’ve played over 1,000 games. If it wasn’t for injuries, I’d be at about 1,200 now. It’s been a tough road, but I’m still enjoying it. It would be great 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 little different for Johnson now that he’s embraced his new role as a mentor for the Flyers, particularly the young defensemen he’s mentioned by name. However, mentoring a young star entering a new country for the first time in Matvei Michkov is a new challenge for Johnson, as well as a test of leadership.

“I tried my best to communicate with him on Instagram, and with the translation tool it’s pretty easy. So I communicated with him on Instagram to make him feel comfortable. Any questions he has, I answer for him. Even as an American guy, who broke into the league at 19 years old like I did in 2007, I was super nervous to be with the old guys.

“Just being in a new city, a new country, a new language, new food, new things, new rules, new ice, all of that… it’s super challenging and I can’t imagine how hard it would be for a young guy like Matvei coming from Russia. I know him a little bit and talk to him on Instagram, like I said, and try to help him in any way I can. . . It seems like Philly has a great one for a long time.”