Avalanche acquire defenceman Erik Johnson in four-player trade with Blues

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired defenceman Erik Johnson in a four-player trade with the St. Louis Blues.

Johnson, Jay McClement and a conditional 2011 or 2012 first-round draft choice go to Colorado in a deal announced early Saturday morning.

In return, St. Louis adds Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk and a conditional 2011 or 2012 second-round draft pick.

Johnson, a former top-overall draft pick in 2006, had five goals and 14 assists in 55 games with the Blues this season.

The six-foot-four, 232-pound 22-year-old has 20 goals and 71 assists in 203 career NHL games.

"We are excited to be adding a top young defenceman in this league, a player who will have an impact on our blue-line for several years to come," Avalanche general manager and executive vice president Greg Sherman said in a release.

McClement had six goals and 10 assists in 56 games with the Blues this season. The 27-year-old forward was drafted by St. Louis 57th overall in 2001 and has 52 goals and 104 assists in 449 career games.

Stewart, 23, heads to St. Louis with 13 goals and 17 assists in 36 games for Colorado this season. The 6-2, 228-pound forward has 52 goals and 61 assists in three NHL seasons.

Shattenkirk, who is currently playing in his first NHL season, ranks second among league rookie defenceman with seven goals and 19 assists in 46 games.

The 5-11, 193-pound 22-year-old is just the second rookie defenceman in league history to register a point streak of nine-or-more games.

"We're very excited to acquire a young emerging power forward in Chris Stewart and a top young NHL defenceman in Kevin Shattenkirk," said Blues GM and executive VP Doug Armstrong. "These are two solid young players who will help us now as we continue to grow and improve our team."