Erik Johnson Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

The Winnipeg Jets may be an average defensive team overall, but they are definitely below average when it comes to special teams. The Jets are one of the most penalized teams in the National Hockey League (sixth-most minor penalties) and their penalty kill remains weak (19th overall and 22nd on the road). All of this opens the door for Erik Johnson, who continues to fill in on the Avs top power play unit with Tyson Barrie out due to injury. Johnson logs heavy minutes (averaging 25:36 minutes of ice time per game) for Colorado, and he is fresh off a multi-point night.

Erik Johnson plays a lot already, but with Tyson Barrie on the shelf, his role will change a bit. Johnson will now play on the top power play unit which will increase his offensive upside. Although Johnson is not the most offensive player in the league, getting time on the top PP unit with the star players around him will at least give him a better opportunity to get on the scoresheet. Without his offensive numbers, he still puts up stats in the peripheral departments as he has averaged 2.4 blocks and 2.5 shots per game over his last 10 games. The Avs are home to the Leafs tonight who are on the tail end of a back to back and Colorado looks to take advantage of a tired team playing in an elevated atmosphere.

With Tyson Barrie out due to injury, Erik Johnson instantly becomes one of the top point-per-dollar plays on the blue line this evening. Johnson logs huge minutes for the Colorado Avalanche (25:33 minutes of ice time per game), and he should see more scoring opportunities tonight as the Avs power play quarterback on their top PP unit. The Arizona Coyotes are a terrible defensive team, and I think we see Johnson and his teammates take advantage of that tonight.

Erik Johnson is logging well over 26 minutes of ice time per game at home, and while he has gone pointless in three straight games, it is not due to lack of effort as last time out he took a season-high eight shots on goal against the Winnipeg Jets. Before the drought, Johnson potted goals in back to back games. Erik Johnson does not get run on the team's top power play unit, but he does see time on the second unit in addition to short-handed opportunities. Even when Johnson doesn't find the score sheet, he will take a block or two. If you need salary relief, look to this cheap Colorado defenseman as he takes on a Devil team allowing over three goals per game on the road.