Although he won't play Friday against St. Louis, Johnson (lower body) will return to action Saturday against the Stars.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson has been sidelined since Jan. 6 with a lower-body injury, but returned to practice Wednesday, which was the first indication that the 6-foot-4 blueliner was close to returning to Colorado's lineup. Johnson's return will serve as a huge boost to the Avlanche's defense corps, as he was averaging 23:30 of ice time before sustaining his lower-body ailment. The former first-round pick has tallied 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 40 games this season.