The Colorado Avalanche’s hopes of another Stanley Cup are gone for this year, as they fell to the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Previously, I suggested three players who are not going to or are likely to not return to the team next season. One of those players was defenseman Jack Johnson.
I figured that, given his age, that he would decide to call it a career when his 2023-24 season was complete. He won the Stanley Cup with the Avalance just two seasons ago—his only Stanley Cup win. It’s very difficult to get to the finals, let alone win the whole thing. The Avalanche have tried to get back but just have fallen short the past two years.
For the 2023-24 NHL season, Johnson was making the league minimum for veterans—$775,000. At the end of the day, every player has their own skill set. Johnson isn’t a big goal scorer, but he has his different ways of making an impact on the ice. I think the fact that he doesn’t score a lot of goals is a significant reason why he only made the league minimum last year.
It is entirely possible that Johnson is okay with not making a ton of money in the final years of his NHL career. He also indicated after Friday night’s season-ending playoff loss that he still hopes to play a little bit longer. He didn’t specify how many more years he wants to play, but that he “still has good hockey left.”
Will the Colorado Avalanche re-sign Jack Johnson?
It would make sense for the Colorado Avalanche to re-sign Johnson on a short-term deal, citing his defensive contributions as well as his veteran presence on and off the ice. The Avalanche are going to need even just a little bit of a voice next season as they will lose Zach Parise to retirement.
Admittedly, I don’t really know much about his leadership style, but my thinking is that he’s part of a brotherhood and knows this team. Along with the other guys who have been with the team for a number of years, he could definitely help, especially if Gabriel Landeskog needs more time away from the team.