Flyers reportedly trade Erik Johnson to Colorado Avalanche
Trade Deadline day has just about wrapped up, and the Flyers have capped off their day with a smaller, but undoubtedly weighty, move.
With Scott Laughton officially sent off to the Leafs, and the market for expensive big-name defensemen closing up quickly and Rasmus Ristolainen looking like he would indeed be staying in Philadelphia to close out the season, it looked like things might just be wrapped up early, but just after the 3:00 deadline closed, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Flyers had sent Erik Johnson back to Colorado.
Feel-great story: hearing Colorado is bringing back Erik Johnson— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 7, 2025
And while this might not be a move with massive implications on the Flyers’ on-ice situation — Johnson has only played in 22 games for the Flyers this season, and hasn’t played in just about a month, since February 8 against the Penguins — it’s a meaningful move for Johnson himself. There were questions after the end of last season about whether he would retire, but instead he opted to stick around with the Flyers for one more year and provide a bit of depth and experience for them, but this year really does feel like it for him, and for the Flyers to be able to facilitate him being able to close this out back in Colorado — where he spent many years and won a Cup and in many ways still feels synonymous with the organization — is a very nice gesture.
The rumored return in this trade is for forward Givani Smith, who will slot in as further organizational depth — he’s on the roster of the AHL Colorado Eagles, and one imagines he will be sent to join the Phantoms in turn. He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season.
It’s about what you’d expect as far as return goes, but that’s secondary to the Good Story that we come away with here. ...
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