Ball Arena erupted and stood for a nearly five-minute ovation during a tribute to longtime former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson.
Erik Johnson knew it was coming and had been emotional upon his return to Ball Arena the second he set foot in the building.
"Just coming back here, all my best friends and the organization and the city, it's been so great to me, it'll be hard," Johnson — better known as EJ — said after morning skate.
His emotions were raw and his responses were honest about being back in Denver, where he still calls home. He owns a house and laid roots in the dozen-plus years he spent with the Avalanche.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog made a special appearance on the glass with his family to say hi and show his appreciation to a longtime teammate and friend he considers family.
The real heartwarming moments were during a mid-first period break when the jumbotron aired a two-minute tribute to the 35-year-old Minnesota native.
"That was fantastic. Yeah, I love that. Not just seeing some of the highlights and the emotion in EJ but our fan reaction kind of says it all," head coach Jared Bednar said. "Longtime Av, Stanley Cup champion, lots of friends still on this roster, obviously knows the bulk of our roster. The reaction and the length of the standing ovation — everything, thought it was great, well deserved."
Johnson hit free agency this off-season and was unable to stay with the Avalanche. He signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres but is at the latter part of his career. No matter how much longer he plays, he'll always cherish the bulk of his playing days being in burgundy and blue.
"It was amazing. The whole night — tried to soak it all in, just felt numb all game. It was surreal, it was just a crazy experience," Johnson said after the Sabres loss. "Something I just wanted to get through, I wish the outcome was different for our team. Just coming back here, especially, I was grateful that I got the ovation I did from the crowd, and fans and my teammates. It was super special just to get recognized and also from my standpoint just to give thanks to everyone that supported me over the years. And as much as that ovation was about me, it was also about me wanting to say thanks to everyone as well."
Denver will always welcome EJ with open arms as one of the most loved Avalanche players in its history.
Related links
Emotional return for former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson
Erik Johnson still calls Denver home
Erik Johnson hits free agency, signs with Buffalo Sabres
