Former Blue Erik Johnson Wins Stanley Cup

TAMPA, FLORIDA – JUNE 26: Erik Johnson #6 of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

After 14 seasons filled with trials, tribulations, and heartache, former St. Louis Blues and current Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson became a Stanley Cup champion on June 26. 

Johnson, the 26-year-old native of Bloomington, Michigan, was the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues becoming the first American-born player to be drafted first overall without playing junior or college hockey. 

At the time of the draft, Johnson was committed to the University of Minnesota so instead of signing with the Blues right away Johnson played out his freshman season with the Golden Gophers before signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blues on April 20, 2007. 

On October 6, 2007, in just his second NHL game, Johnson scored his first NHL goal in a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. 

Johnson finished his rookie season with 33 points (five goals and 28 assists) in 69 games played. 

Then following the season in a complete freak accident when on a team golf outing Johnson’s right foot got caught between the accelerator and the brake of his golf cart and he ended up tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee. 

After having surgery and missing the entire 2008-09 season, Johnson returned for the 2009-10 season and set new career highs in goals (10), assists (29), and points (39). 

In 2010, Johnson was named as an assistant captain alongside team captain David Backes and fellow assistant captains Barret Jackman and Alexander Steen. Johnson registered 10 points in 29 games played before suffering a knee sprain in late December 2010. 

Less than two months later, after recovering from his injury, Johnson was traded to the Avalanche on February 19, 2011, along with Jay McClement and a conditional first-round draft pick. Coming back the other way was Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk, and a conditional second-round draft pick. 

After making his Avalanche debut the night of the trade, Johnson faced his former team in his second game with the Avs and scored a goal against them. 

On January 23, 2013, Johnson played in his 300th career NHL game, and over the next few seasons, more career milestones followed for the big blueliner known as “EJ” or “Condor” including; 

• 50th NHL goal – October 10, 2015
• 500th NHL game 
• 200th NHL point – November 12, 2015
• 600th NHL game – December 3, 2017

Then on February 29, 2020, Johnson became the first defenseman from the 2006 draft to reach 300 points and the 37th U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history to hit the 300-point mark.

Four games into the 2020-21 season, Johnson suffered a concussion on a hit from the Minnesota Wild‘s Jordan Greenway that caused him to miss the rest of the regular season and entire playoff run. 

After returning for the 2021-22 season, on October 31, 2021, Johnson scored the game-winner in a 4-1 victory over the Wild and that goal moved him into second place in franchise history in game-winning goals by defensemen. 

Then after three long seasons being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, the Avalanche reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2001 and defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

After captain Gabriel Landeskog received the cup, the first player he handed it to was Johnson. 

After the victory, Johnson said that; 

“It was like I was watching a video game or something like that. It was amazing. Gabe was telling me the last couple years, ‘When we win it, you’re getting it first.’ If that doesn’t give you motivation to get it done, nothing else does. Just a super humbling gratifying feeling, it’s amazing.” – The Gazette 

In closing, I would like to say congratulations to the former Blue on his Stanley Cup victory. After all that he has been through in his career, he deserves it, and Blues fans should be happy for him even if it was with the rival Colorado Avalanche.