DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche didn’t have to wait for free agency to solve a glaring need this offseason.
The Avs made a splash in the trade market by acquiring Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators for forward Alex Galchenyuk on Saturday. The Predators also retained 50% of Johansen’s contract, meaning Colorado will be on the hook for only $4 million per season for the next two years.
“Everything about this favors the Avalanche,” argues Chris Miciele of Locked on Avalanche.
His typical offensive production is consistent with what you’d like from a second line center, and at that price point, it could be an even bigger steal for Colorado.
Now, Johansen did have surgery on his right leg and missed the final 27 games of the season after he was cut by a skate blade against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 21. But, he’s expecting to be back at it at full speed come training camp.
"I've had to make adjustments with training and rehabbing and all that stuff, but I was really happy to start getting on the ice at the start of June," Johansen said Monday, per NHL.com.
"I skated a couple times a week for about three weeks and felt really good. So that was super encouraging, just with that and being able to move forward and past that. So, I'd say I'm super close to 100 percent now, and hopefully it'll be, by August I think, just full on normal and [I'll] be myself. So, it's been encouraging to have confidence with moving over that injury and moving past it all."
Johansen had 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 55 games this season and has 555 points (189 goals, 366 assists) in 842 NHL games with the Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
For the Predators, they get Galchenyuk’s signing rights, and could look to sign a perennial reclamation project. They also get some valuable cap space and will be done with Johansen’s deal two years earlier than if they had chosen to buy him out.