DENVER – There’s always uncertainty when a player throws in their lot with a team, even one as star-studded as the Colorado Avalanche.

The stakes were higher for defenseman Jack Johnson, who joined the Avalanche in training camp on a professional tryout and said he was ready to consider retirement if the trip didn’t result in a contract.

Coming off a 15th NHL season cut to 13 games by injury, Johnson said he was relaxed. He hoped it would all work itself out in Colorado.

“I felt like I had some good hockey left in me and I was willing to take another stab at it,” Johnson said in March. “The biggest thing was I wanted to try and win.”

It’s been a wildly successful regular season and Johnson has been a part throughout. After being associated with – but not on – two championship teams, he still has a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Signed as a depth blueliner, Johnson went on to play in almost every game until the Avalanche found themselves in first place in the Western Conference with a surplus of defensemen. They started resting veterans. Jack Johnson and Erik Johnson – frequent partners and two of the team’s oldest players at 35 and 34, respectively – have been recently scratched.

Coach Jared Bednar said Johnson’s role is similar to what the coaching staff envisioned. Offense-minded blueliners like Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard usually get the glory.

“Obviously we have the sort of higher-end talent, the guys that are put into more offensive situations,” Bednar said. “We need guys to lock it down on the defensive side.

“He’s playing big defensive minutes, penalty kill minutes. He provides that sturdiness that we need. Very similar to the job that (Erik Johnson) does. Big, strong guys. They’re paired together a lot, spend a lot of time together in D-zone starts and stuff like that.”

Johnson scored the Avalanche’s first goal of the 2021-22 season on a breakaway, benefitting from a Chicago Blackhawks pileup as he raced toward the goal. He hasn’t found the back of the net since.

“I will say, I probably won’t have both defensemen fall down for me again, even if I play another 1000 games,” he said.

Johnson was ready to consider walking away, he said, even as he approached a major milestone. The Indianapolis native appeared in his 1000th game March 1, in front of family, friends and Michigan teammates, when Colorado hosted the New York Islanders. He was the ninth player to reach the milestone as a member of the Avalanche and the 21st defenseman born in the U.S.

“It was a special night,” Johnson said. “It was really cool to get to share it with so many people.”

One Michigan classmate and roommate was busy that night, but they got a chance to catch up later. Andrew Cogliano was taking on the Vegas Golden Knights on March 1 as a member of the San Jose Sharks. A few weeks later at the trade deadline, Colorado acquired Cogliano and two former Wolverines were teammates again.

“He’s the same guy he was in college,” Johnson said.

While at Michigan, the opportunity came to sign with the team that drafted Johnson, the Carolina Hurricanes. He wanted to stay in school.

“I didn’t think I’d make the roster. I didn’t think I was ready, physically, emotionally or anything,” Johnson said. “So I wasn’t in a hurry to leave a world-class university to go play in the minors.”

The Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup that summer. Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings and made his NHL debut there. He was traded Feb 23, 2012, roughly four months before the Kings won a title.

A full decade after he was on the periphery of two teams that won it all – suiting up for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers in the meantime – another crack at the Cup. The gamble paid off.

“I’m just glad it worked out,” Johnson said.