Erik Johnson on Kadri: 'We wouldn't have got this far without him'

Colorado defenceman Erik Johnson says that Nazem Kadri was the missing piece the Avalanche needed after last season's second-round disappointment.

Video Transcript

- Erik, not to put you on the spot, but just wanted to ask you your thoughts on Nazem's impact on this team and in the years as he's been here.

ERIK JOHNSON: Yeah, it's been great. I think right when we got Naz, from the start, it fulfilled the need that we had. We were kind of lacking a true, you know, top end center that could slot right behind Nate. And we just saw in the playoffs last year when we missed him for that whole second round.

So it's been big to get him back. And I think the best part is he stepped up his game we needed him the most in the playoffs. You know, I just-- I think, as a group, you want a guy that can play both ends of the ice-- offense, defense, take draws-- and as a teammate, just bringing all the things that you need on a nightly basis. And, you know, I don't think we would have gotten through as far as we have without him.