Erik Johnson — and what comes next

ESPN Analyst Erik Johnson joins the show to talk about his time in the league, his journey to becoming an analyst, and much more. Erik Johnson has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Canada.

Key facts

• ESPN Analyst Erik Johnson joins the show to talk about his time in the league, his journey to becoming an analyst, and much more.
• Erik Johnson has benefited in his work between the benches from knowing what it's like to play against stars such as Connor McDavid.
• Erik Johnson was not one of those people who thought TV broadcasters simply showed up to the rink at 7:08 p.m., put a headset on and started talking from the drop of the puck.
• “She texted, ‘Erik, you can drink on the job?’” Johnson said, laughing. “She was dead serious.
• Today, freshly removed from an 18-year NHL career, Johnson feels grateful that at just 38, he’s already one of ESPN and ABC’s top national color analysts after barely getting his feet wet doing TV and radio with Altitude Sports in Colorado.

What we know

Going deeper, Erik Johnson has benefited in his work between the benches from knowing what it's like to play against stars such as Connor McDavid.

On the substance, Erik Johnson was not one of those people who thought TV broadcasters simply showed up to the rink at 7:08 p.m., put a headset on and started talking from the drop of the puck.

Beyond the headlines, Today, freshly removed from an 18-year NHL career, Johnson feels grateful that at just 38, he’s already one of ESPN and ABC’s top national color analysts after barely getting his feet wet doing TV and radio with Altitude Sports in Colorado.

More precisely, 24, Levy did the play-by-play for Johnson’s first game on ESPN+ in Buffalo.

It is worth noting that But Levy remembered how good Johnson was even before that — in 2024 at the first of the now-annual NHL broadcasting camp.

By the numbers

At this stage, Johnson had nothing going on that July of 2024, so he figured, “What the heck?

On a related note, some attendees from 2024 and 2025 now working in TV besides Johnson include NHL Network and Amazon Prime’s Michael Del Zotto, Monumental Sports Network and NHL Network’s Devante Smith-Pelly, NHL Network and TSN’s Nate Thompson, MSG’s Cal Clutterbuck and Sportsnet’s Landon Ferraro, Ray’s son.

Going deeper, Johnson said he does a lot of prep for his broadcasts, but 25 percent of what he preps never hits the air.

On the substance, BUF@BOS, Gm 6: Sabres down Bruins, win first Series since 2007.

What they're saying

“She texted, ‘Erik, you can drink on the job?’” Johnson said, laughing. “She was dead serious.

“Erik’s an absolute natural,” said longtime color analyst Ray Ferraro. “I’ve been so impressed how seamless he’s made this transition look, especially the challenge of not getting overwhelmed by all the things that go with just calling the game. … He just stepped right in and made it look easy.

“Ray Ferraro has been huge for me, not only as someone to lean on, but just like how he projects,” Johnson said. “He has such command when he’s on air, I find.

The wider context

“Someone told me, ‘Anyone can memorize a stat, but you played, so talk about what it’s like to be in this situation and tell the viewer how and why because you’ve done it,’” Johnson said. “So I’ve found that I could say, for example, ‘Wyatt Johnston leads the Stars in power-play goals this year.

“If I go talk to someone that I know and I’m friends with, I’m just going to automatically be more comfortable and get a sound bite that you’re probably not going to get if you don’t know who it is,” Johnson said. “It’s fun because I can kind of bust these guys’ chops a little bit because you’re a peer, or you were.

On the substance, VGK@UTA, Gm 6: Golden Knights and Mammoth exchange handshakes at center ice.

Beyond the headlines, TBL@MTL, Gm6: Goncalves holds off Canadiens with OT winner.

More precisely, VGK@UTA, Gm 6: Marner puts home the rebound with his second on the power play.

The bottom line

• Some attendees from 2024 and 2025 now working in TV besides Johnson include NHL Network and Amazon Prime’s Michael Del Zotto, Monumental Sports Network and NHL Network’s Devante Smith-Pelly, NHL Network and TSN’s Nate Thompson, MSG’s Cal Clutterbuck and Sportsnet’s Landon Ferraro, Ray’s son.
• TBL@MTL, Gm 6: Vasilevskiy forces Game 7 with 30-save shutout.
• BUF@BOS, Gm 6: Samuelsson doubles the lead in the 1st.