Ryan Johansen was acquired by the Avalanche in June to shore up the center depth following Colorado’s early first-round exit from the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. The veteran center, who had spent the past seven years in Nashville, was the first of a long list of additions the team made to its forward group.
After settling in for training camp and getting a preseason game under his belt, the 32-year-old sat down with me following a practice at Family Sports Center to discuss the move to Denver. Among other topics, he also touched on his relationship with Matt Duchene, his playoff experience in 2017, and the Cup-or-bust mentality the team has after failing to defend its championship last spring.
