Erik Johnson retires after 17 NHL seasons

Erik Johnson announced his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday after a 17-year career.

Johnson spent parts of 14 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, winning the Stanley Cup in 2022.

The 37-year-old also played for the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers. He finishes his career with 348 points in 1,023 games. He added another 13 points in 57 career playoff appearances.

The Blues selected the 6-foot-4, right-handed defenseman with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. They traded him to the Avalanche in 2011 as part of a blockbuster deal involving Kevin Shattenkirk.

Johnson was better known for his defensive abilities, as he never reached the 40-point mark in a season. He did tally 39 points on two occasions - in 2009-10 with the Blues and in 2013-14 with the Avalanche.

He led Avalanche defensemen in average time on ice five times before Cale Makar eventually took over as the team's top blue-liner. Johnson averaged 17:01 per game and chipped in five points in 20 games during Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup run.

Johnson, a native of Minnesota, also represented the United States on the international stage on multiple occasions, most notably winning a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics.