Flyers acquire veteran defenseman Erik Johnson, trade Wade Allison in separate deal

TAMPA, Fla. — Erik Johnson is probably best known for his toothless smile as he lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, but the defenseman will now serve as another veteran presence on the Flyers’ blue line. The Flyers acquired the veteran Friday from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2024 fourth-round draft pick.

“What we’re looking for from Erik is to bring his experience,” general manager Danny Brière said in his post-deadline media availability. “The fact that he’s played for a long time. The fact that he’s played a lot of playoff games. The fact that he’s won a Stanley Cup, hopefully, he can share a little bit of that with our group, with our young group, especially on defense right now, with all the injuries too that we have.”

» READ MORE: Flyers trade grades: Was keeping Nick Seeler a wise move?

The Flyers are currently without injured blueliners Nick Seeler, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Jamie Drysdale, and traded Sean Walker on Wednesday to the Avalanche. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Johnson plays a heavy game and is known for his toughness and willingness to do whatever it takes to win. He brings plenty of playoff experience (55 games) and although Brière is not expecting Johnson to replace Walker, he’s hoping he can step into a similar role as Marc Staal as a mentor.

“Maybe [he’ll] bring a little bit of stability back there and [help the team with] being comfortable in the moment,” the GM said. “When you have guys that have played as many playoff games as he has it’s an asset. ... Our guys have played extremely well. We’ve been impressed with how they’ve played the last few games, some really tough games, but at the end of the day, it’s still a young team. So that’s where a guy like Erik Johnson, hopefully, might be able to help.”

The No. 1 overall pick in 2006 by the St. Louis Blues, and the first American-born defenseman chosen directly from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, earlier in his career, Johnson made a name for himself as one of the game’s best defensive defensemen. In 970 NHL games with the Blues, Avs, and Sabres, the rugged Johnson has 340 points (91 goals, 249 assists) with a plus-minus of minus-2.

Johnson, who will turn 36 later this month, is on a one-year, $3.25 million contract and has three goals in 50 games with the Sabres this season.

Before the clock hit zero on the 2024 NHL trade deadline, the Flyers also flipped Wade Allison to the Nashville Predators for winger Denis Gurianov.

After suiting up for 60 games last season, Allison had a hard time cracking the Flyers’ lineup in 2023-24 with right-wingers Travis Konecny, Garnet Hathaway, Cam Atkinson, Bobby Brink, and Tyson Foerster ahead of him in the pecking order.

“We had him penciled into our roster at the beginning of the season, going into training camp,” said Brière, adding how Brink and Foerster leaped ahead of Allison during training camp and couldn’t be removed from the lineup. “For some reason, Wade wasn’t able to get the traction back and we felt at this point, for his own development, it might be better to have a try somewhere else and snap it out. We like Wade, it’s nothing personal and, actually, we hope that it works out better for him.”

» READ MORE: Expectations change: Playoffs now the Flyers’ priority after GM Danny Brière’s deadline wizardry

The 26-year-old Allison’s career has been marred by injuries, with him managing just 13 goals and nine assists in 75 career NHL games with the Flyers. From 2020-22, Allison was limited to 53 games between the NHL and AHL due to a myriad of ailments, including several ankle-related injuries.

The 2016 second-rounder scored nine goals last season but was in and out of coach John Tortorella’s dog house. He was placed on waivers near the end of training camp and has spent the entire season with Lehigh Valley, notching 10 goals and 17 points in 46 games.

“It’s been a rough season for Wade,” Brière said. “So, we wanted to give him the chance to maybe catch fire on his side, on his end too, and kick-start his career because it’s been tough for him.”

Gurianov, a first-round pick in 2015 of the Dallas Stars, has struggled to find his game as of late since posting at least 29 points in three-straight seasons from 2020-22. His best season came in 2021-22 with Dallas when the speedy winger scored 20 goals in 64 games. But it was in the 2020 bubble where he made his mark as the Stars went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Gurianov notched 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 27 games, and had the overtime clincher on a power play against the Vegas Golden Knights to send the Stars to the Final.

“He’s interesting. A big 6-foot-3 left winger that can skate like him,” Brière said. “The fact that he’s had some success in some big games. He’s had a pretty interesting playoff run a few years ago. I know it’s been a little tougher for him the last couple of years. But if he catches fire again, we’re a little thin on the left side and he brings us speed and size. So who knows where that goes?”

This season, the 26-year-old split time between Nashville and Milwaukee of the AHL. He had a goal and an assist this season in 14 games with the Predators and will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1. With Milwaukee, he posted 12 goals and 18 assists in 27 games. In parts of seven NHL seasons split between Dallas, Montreal, and Nashville, Gurianov has logged 294 games and tallied 52 goals and 61 assists.

Johnson and Gurianov are expected to be in Tampa Bay before the Flyers take on the Lightning on Saturday (7 p.m. on NBCSP). ... In a corresponding move, Adam Ginning and Olle Lycksell were loaned to Lehigh Valley. ... Brière said the Flyers were unable to find a trade partner for Ryan Johansen, whom they got in the deal for Walker, despite the fact they were willing to retain part of his contract. Johansen cleared waivers on Thursday and the team has asked him to report to Lehigh Valley.