Erik Johnson never considered retirement. Despite the defenseman knowing that his best days are behind him, and that a top-four role on a contending team isn’t realistic anymore, 36-year-old Johnson always wanted to keep going as long as someone would have him.
That someone was general manager Daniel Briere and the Flyers, who re-signed Johnson to a one-year, $1 million contract extension on July 1.
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“I’ve talked to a lot of guys that have stepped into retirement … and they’ve all said, ‘Wait until they tell you, no more’,” Johnson, 13 games shy of 1,000 for his career, said on Thursday on a media conference call. “Let them rip the jersey off you.”
Johnson’s role with the Flyers, after he was acquired from Buffalo last March for a 2024 fourth-round pick, has already been defined. He’s not going to play every night, but he’s going to keep doing the things that have allowed him to stay in the league for what will be an 18th season, while setting an example for the young players in the organization.
Flyers coach John Tortorella has already made it known that he values such a role. It’s why he was chuffed to have Marc Staal around last season, even though he admitted it was difficult to keep the veteran out of the lineup for such a long stretch when other, younger players were playing better and/or growing from experience. (And anyone worried that Johnson is going to take the place of a younger, NHL-ready player is ignoring how Tortorella handled Staal last season.)
Still, Johnson’s return to the Flyers might be as much about Tortorella as it is about the defenseman himself.
There were a number of reasons why the Flyers sputtered in late March and early April. An overworked young goaltender in Sam Ersson, an awful power play, injuries to the defense core, and the wear and tear from playing such an aggressive style were among them.
But Tortorella’s miscalculations can’t be overlooked. The vibes started to go off-track with the Sean Couturier scratching, which, whether deserved or not, was an unforced error by the coach. But all of the other noise, including Tortorella getting tossed from a game and suspended, and then calling his team “soft” after it fought back to tie an important game with the Islanders late before succumbing in overtime, were among some other regrettable moments.
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A fresh-faced, upstart group that looked to be a near lock for the playoffs in early March got rattled at the worst possible time, and never recovered.
When Johnson entered the league in 2007-08 at age 19, he played for a Tortorella-like coach in Andy Murray, who was a hard-nosed guy himself. A few years later, in Colorado, it was the no-nonsense Patrick Roy behind the bench. Johnson knows firsthand what a young player must endure to succeed in that kind of environment.
“As a young player, I remember being pretty intimidated by the coach,” Johnson said, without naming any names. “You see him walking down the hallway and you dip in a door or something like that. It’s changed a little bit now, with the league being a little more player-friendly. Obviously, Torts is known as a super-demanding coach, and playing for him last year and at the Olympics and World Cup, I can attest to that, as well.”
Being a liaison between Tortorella and the team, when necessary, could be valuable for everyone involved.
“Since I’m a veteran guy, I can kind of see which way the wind is blowing and relay that to the coaches if need be,” Johnson said. “I think Torts has a great pulse on the room and he relies on a lot of his key leaders that we already have in the locker room, guys that have been there a long time. I’m comfortable approaching the coaching staff, talking about different things. I think they’re comfortable talking to me about different things. … A younger guy, (they) might be a little more nervous around the coaches, and sometimes that just takes time.”
And one younger guy, in particular, is going to be in the spotlight from Day 1.
Matvei Michkov has already been in touch with Johnson. The two have communicated via Instagram with its handy translation tool, after Johnson reached out to the 19-year-old who recently signed a three-year, entry level contract.
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It’s likely that other Flyers have done the same. What makes Johnson particularly valuable is that he and Michkov are both represented by CAA and agents Pat Brisson and J.P. Barry, respectively.
If there are any concerns from Michkov or his representation in regard to how Tortorella is handling the rookie, they can be communicated to and from the player through a few different avenues now.
And, keep in mind, Couturier also switched agents to Brisson after the season. That wasn’t done because he wants to leave, according to a team source. It was simply to streamline communication between the player and the front office if any problems arise — like they did last season with that unfortunately timed communication breakdown between the coach and the captain.
“I’m here for (Michkov) in any way he needs,” Johnson said, “and helping him acclimate to Philly, to the NHL, needs a ride, or needs recommendations where to eat on the road, has questions about how practices run, how things are going on with meetings, schedule, all that — he knows that I’m here for him to answer any questions. I’m excited to work with him.”
Much of that work will happen behind closed doors, out of view of the fans and media. Ditto for Johnson’s relationship and whatever discussions he has with Tortorella and his other young teammates, such as Cam York and Jamie Drysdale.
But for a team that has been so careful to curate its culture — and hit a few speed bumps late last season in that regard — bringing Johnson back in the hopes that he can smooth things out when need be makes sense, considering who he is and what he’s done, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
“I’m here for them no matter what they need,” Johnson said. “Whatever is asked of me, I’m going to do it.”
(Photo of Erik Johnson: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
