Veteran defenseman Jack Johnson, a family man, is in a precarious position with the Avalanche.
The No. 3 overall selection from the 2005 draft is on a professional tryout contract (PTO), looking to extend his 14-year NHL career and get one more shot at the Stanley Cup.
If he plays well in Tuesday’s preseason opener at the Vegas Golden Knights, he could stick around Denver for quite some time. If he doesn’t, Johnson’s wife and three young children are waiting for him back at his Columbus home.
“When I said bye to my wife and kids, it’s one of those things where you might see them in a week or you might see they whenever they can come out and visit,” Johnson, 34, said after Tuesday’s morning skate at Family Sports Center.