Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was selected to the 2015 NHL All-Star game, the league announced Saturday.
Johnson, 26, will be making his first all-star game appearance, and is the first Avalanche defenseman to be selected since Rob Blake in the 2003-04 season.
“I’m very honored and humbled to be selected to the All-Star Game,” Johnson said in a release. “It’s a great individual accomplishment, but at the same time a reflection of a lot of great teammates and coaches that I have that helped me to get to where I am at right now.”
Johnson has scored an NHL defensemen-leading 12 goals and has 10 assists this year. He leads the Avs in goals, ice time (24:17), blocked shots (92) and power-play goals (3).
He is the fourth Avs defenseman to be selected to the all-star game, joining Blake, Sandis Ozolinsh and Ray Bourque.
Former Avs defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who was traded to St. Louis for Johnson, was also named an all-star.
The NHL All-Star Game will be played at 3 p.m. Jan. 25 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
