DENVER — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson is set to hit 1,000 regular-season NHL games Tuesday at home against the New York Islanders.

“To be able to stay good enough to play for that long in a young man’s game and still make an impact, it’s difficult to do,” coach Jared Bednar said. “You don’t see a lot of players do it.

“It’s a big night for him, hopefully he enjoys it.”

Johnson spent the majority of his career in Los Angeles and Columbus. Only 50 of his games will have come with Colorado, but those 50 represent a gamble that’s paid off.

Johnson attended Avalanche training camp on a professional tryout contract and later signed a one-year deal. He said after signing that if it hadn’t worked out, retirement was on the table. He “took a shot to keep this going and have a chance to win.”

He’s been consistently in the lineup ever since.

Changing it up

Johnson initially looked like the odd man out on a healthy roster, but that’s rarely happened. Ryan Murray and Kurtis MacDermid have been healthy scratches on defense recently, with MacDermid sometimes moving up to forward.

The last two games, forwards sat out. Nicolas Aube-Kubel and then Tyson Jost were scratched against Winnipeg and Vegas, respectively.

Bednar warned Friday that he’d be tinkering with the Avalanche (39-10-4, 1st NHL) lineup in the second half of the season. Better to adjust before the playoffs than during.

“The way the team’s played, it’s a luxury to be sitting where we’re sitting and be able to experiment with a few of those things,” Bednar said.

‘Pretty solid’ month

J.T. Compher scored the first of two quick goals that the Avalanche used to sink the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. Goals aren’t expected from him every night, but always appreciated.

“More physical, more involved, more intensity to his game,” Bednar said Saturday. “He’s been stringing together some real strong games for us here.

“I think that the last month has been pretty solid from him and getting back to the player that we want and need.”

Compher’s points of emphasis were general.

“Doesn’t really matter who I’m playing with. When you’re a bottom-six forward, you’ve got to be able to create turnovers on the forecheck,” Compher said. “You’ve got to be able to make good decisions and be able to check the puck back.”

Third-period scoring spurt sends visiting Colorado Avalanche past Vegas Golden Knights

Colorado Avalanche drop six unanswered goals on Winnipeg Jets, including Landeskog hat trick

Colorado Avalanche top-line opening becomes chance to shake up Andre Burakovsky’s February