The Colorado Avalanche picked up a solid faceoff winner from the Nashville Predators.

The Colorado Avalanche swapped veteran centers with the Nashville Predators, acquiring Ryan Johansen for center Alex Galchenyuk.

Johansen played 55 games in the 2022-23 season before undergoing leg surgery in late February. He managed 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in the season.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound center was drafted fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Draft. He spent four and a half seasons with Columbus before being traded midseason in 2016 to the Predators for defenseman Seth Jones.

The 30-year-old forward has earned a career 555 points (189g, 366a) in 842 NHL games and 54 points (19g, 35a) in 67 career playoff contests.

“Ryan is a talented, veteran center who helps our top six,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said. “He gives us size in the middle of the ice and brings leadership and experience to our roster. We look forward to adding him to our team.”

As a potential second-line center, Johansen brings a career faceoff win percentage of 53.4% to the Avalanche which could make him a superb playmaker in the team’s system.

The Hockey News Predators writer, Ann Kimmel, said Johansen's recovery from having some tendons cut by a skate blade this past season and surgery to fix it has been going very well, as far as she knows. 

"I don’t think that will be a lingering issue going forward," Kimmel said. 

Kimmel also said Johansen is an asset in the locker room and has a great presence off the ice, as well. 

According to NHL.com, the Predators will retain 50% of Johansen's contract, which has two years ($8 million annual average value) remaining.

Some highlights of Johansen’s NHL career include:

· Three 20-point seasons

· Six 60-point seasons

· Sixth-highest scoring player in Predators’ franchise history with 362 points in 533 games

· Ranked second in Predators’ franchise history with 48 postseason points in 61 playoff games

· Three perfect-attendance seasons

· MVP of the 2014-15 NHL All-Star Game

Johansen sustained a leg injury during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks. That injury required surgery which kept him from playing in the Stanley Cup Final that season.

In 2010-11, Johansen was named to the Western Hockey League’s West First All-Star Team with the Portland Winterhawks. He also earned a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship.