There will be an emotional moment Monday night at Bridgestone Arena, both for the yellow-clad patrons and the guy whose memories of an eight-year run as one of their own will flash before him on the scoreboard.
Ryan Johansen will return to Smashville with the Colorado Avalanche, and the tribute video will likely be as meaningful to him as it will to the fans who adored him.
“During my time there, the fans were just incredible,” Johansen said. “They showed so much love toward the team, the players and the organization. It’s just a first-class organization that does a lot of tremendous things, not only within the rink but outside of that as well.”
Johansen arrived in Nashville from Columbus as part of a blockbuster trade for defenseman Seth Jones before the 2015-16 season. The Predators made a run to the Stanley Cup Final in his second year, the most successful spring in club history.
While he missed the Final because of injury, his performances in the first three rounds, particularly his epic battles with stars like Jonathan Toews, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, earned him the playoff bona fides that start a legacy.
“That Cup Final run definitely put Nashville on the map as a hockey town,” Johansen said. “The city totally just went nuts. It felt like every time you’d go out in public, everyone was wearing gold. It was definitely an awesome memory.”
The cheers for Johansen on Monday night won’t just be for the 362 points, 533 games or signature playoff moments he had in those gold jerseys. Johansen took on a very active role with the Predators’ charitable foundation.
One of his focuses was helping kids in the city gain access to the sport, whether it was purchasing equipment or whatever else was needed at rinks around the area.
Johansen helped support the Jr. Predators. He was memorably the star of a team visit to children at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
It did not take long for his Avalanche teammates to see that side of him as well. When the club embarked on its “Moms’ Trip” to Las Vegas last month, Johansen had T-shirts made for the players and their mothers to honor Lana Manson, who had died in August from melanoma.
Josh Manson, and his father, Dave, expressed their gratitude for the gesture.
“Honestly, I haven’t played with him that long, but he’s probably one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with,” said Logan O’Connor, who sits next to Johansen in the locker room at Ball Arena. “It’s just how he is as a person. He’s caring. He makes everyone feel welcome. He keeps things light. He’s fun to be around.
“What he did for (Manson) with those T-shirts sort of embodies who he is as a person. He hasn’t been here that long. He went out and did that just because he’s a great guy and person. I’ve loved my time with him. He’s fit in great here.”
O’Connor’s assessment of Johansen, the teammate, is a common refrain. Johansen was one of six new forwards in the opening-night lineup, and that number reached seven last week when Joel Kiviranta joined the fourth line.
Johansen is the most prominent of the bunch. He’s the most accomplished individually, and he’s slotted into the most important role as the club’s No. 2 center. Players up and down the lineup have used similar phrases to describe the impact he’s had away from the ice.
“I’ve obviously played against him for a long time. I knew what kind of player he is, but it’s interesting to see him as a guy off the ice now,” Andrew Cogliano said. “He’s a great personality for our room, honestly. He’s just a guy you want to be around. I’m not surprised that anyone you talk to has really good things to say about him as a teammate and a guy.
“We’re seeing that firsthand now. He’s a really genuine person. I think that’s why he gets along with a lot of different guys. He’s fit in well. He’s added another element to our team. I think he’s a different personality that we probably needed.”
To O’Connor’s point about Johansen keeping things light, the Avs are a veteran team with the highest of expectations. It’s Stanley Cup or bust.
It’s also a club with key players who lean toward a more serious personality type. As players like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have said, they still have fun together. But injecting a player like Johansen, who isn’t afraid to crack or joke, or pick someone’s mood up after they make a mistake, can be a big deal.
“He’s a bridge guy for us,” Cogliano said. “He can get along with young generations and older generations, and good teams need that. He’s a guy that brings everyone together.
“He has a serious side and he knows when it’s game on. I’ve seen him in the playoffs, and I think that’s where his real competitive side is. I’ve seen it at its highest level.”
Johansen had five goals and six points in 15 games entering the Avs’ Saturday night game in Dallas. He’s been the team’s go-to guy in the faceoff circle in key moments most nights.
Only one assist, and only two even-strength points before Saturday isn’t ideal, but assists can fluctuate outside a player’s control. He’s also already played with several different linemates. Avs coach Jared Bednar said he’s shown off some versatility by finding chemistry with different types of players on his wings.
Like Ross Colton, Johansen’s postseason pedigree could prove to be a real plus. His regular-season production won’t matter nearly as much as what sort of impact he can have in the playoffs.
“I think he’s still got another level that he can get to with us, but I think he’s had a pretty good start to the season,” Bednar said. “He’s had some ups and downs here and there like most of our team, but I certainly like a lot of things that he provides for our group.”
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