In March, the Flyers traded for veteran defender Erik Johnson. He was flipped for a fourth-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres and was expected to be a depth piece. It was hoped that he could help lead this young, inexperienced team into the playoffs. That didn't happen Injuries to the defensive corps mounted, Johnson had to play more than expected, and Philly failed to reach the postseason.
He appeared in 17 games for the Flyers, scoring two goals with one assist. He averaged 16:26 minutes of ice team in Philly, three more than he was getting in Buffalo, but still a career low. When you look at his stats, they aren't really impressive. However, the Flyers team management saw something in him.
Johnson was one of the few Flyers free agents this past year. I was kind of unsure if the team would re-sign him. However, after the initial flurry of free agents were signed, the Flyers shocked everyone by re-signing him to a one-year deal. More importantly, it was shocking that he wanted to come back.
You would think a 36-year-old defender with one Stanley Cup title would prefer to sign with a contender, a team you know has a legit chance of going to the Stanley Cup Finals— a team like the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, or Edmonton Oilers. However, something about his time in Philadelphia made him want to stay. After spending time in a rebuild in Buffalo that's going nowhere, he wanted to stay in Philly to finish the job.
Erik Johnson's role will be felt more off the ice than on it
Johnson's role here is similar to that of Marc Staal last year or Justin Braun the year before. Johnson will get some playing time, but barring tons of injuries, he won't be a regular. He's almost going to be a player/coach, helping the young defenders gain confidence and helping any prospect that comes up (Emil Andrae, Adam Ginning, etc.) adjust to life in the NHL. He's already started by working with Matvei Michkov.
This could be Johnson's last year in the NHL, though he has stressed his desire to continue playing. His service and time will come in handy. He was very excited to stay here. If he can translate the skillset that he has developed over a 16-year career to the Flyers' young defenders, which is pretty much everyone not named Nick Seeler, Travis Sanheim, or Rasmus Ristolainen, the Flyers defensive unit will be very much improved.
It's important to have a veteran show you the way. Whether you are an athlete, a banker, a teacher, a writer, a police officer, or in the military, it helps to have someone with experience mentor you and show you how to be better. With this being Johnson's role, the Flyers young defenders can hopefully have the breakout seasons we have been waiting for.