Tom Johnson (ice hockey player)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CanadaCanada  Tom Johnson Ice hockey player
Hockey Hall of Fame , 1970
Date of birth February 18, 1928
place of birth Baldur , Manitoba , Canada
date of death November 21, 2007
Place of death Falmouth , Massachusetts , USA
size 183 cm
Weight 82 kg
position defender
Shot hand Left
Career stations
1946-1947 Winnipeg Monarchs
1947-1948 Montreal Royals
1948-1950 Buffalo bison
1950-1963 Montréal Canadiens
1963-1965 Boston Bruins

Thomas Christian "Tom" Johnson (born February 18, 1928 in Baldur , Manitoba , † November 21, 2007 in Falmouth , Massachusetts , USA ) was a Canadian ice hockey player (defender) and coach who worked for the Montréal Canadiens and from 1947 to 1965 Boston Bruins played in the National Hockey League .

Career

As a junior he played with the Winnipeg Monarchs , a junior team of the Toronto Maple Leafs . There they found him unsuitable for the NHL . A Montreal Canadiens scout saw him and brought him to the Montreal Royals . In the 1947/48 season he made his debut with the Canadiens, but initially there were still difficulties with the contract. At the end of his second season with the Buffalo Bisons in the American Hockey League , he made the jump to the NHL.

From the 1950/51 season he was an integral part of the Canadiens, who won the Stanley Cup six times over the next nine years . Especially in the minority, he was used again and again, while in the majority he often took on the role of the center. His passionate commitment, his perseverance and his constancy were particularly appreciated. Although he also had offensive qualities, he usually left that part to Doug Harvey . It was noticeable when he took the puck from the opponent without physical contact and initiated a quick counterattack. He had his most successful season in the 1958/59 season , when he was voted best defender in the NHL . Harvey was injured many times during this time and Johnson represented him as a leading figure in the defense. In the early 1960s he played in a row with the young Jacques Laperrière . In the 1962/63 season he suffered a severe facial injury and it was uncertain whether he could continue his career. Under these conditions, the Canadiens did not protect him in the Waiver Draft and the Boston Bruins took advantage of this opportunity.

He wore the Bruins jersey for two seasons before an injury forced him to end his career.

After the end of his playing career, he stayed in Boston and helped Harry Sinden , the coach, to build a powerful team. From 1970 he was himself coach of the team around Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito , which won the Stanley Cup in 1972 .

In 1970 he was honored with the induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame .

NHL statistics

Seasons Games Gates Assists Points Penalty minutes
Regular season 15th 979 51 213 264 960
Playoffs 12 111 8th 15th 23 109

Sporting successes

Personal awards

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Johnson, Tom
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johnson, Thomas Christian (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian ice hockey player
DATE OF BIRTH February 18, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Baldur , Manitoba
DATE OF DEATH November 21, 2007
Place of death Falmouth , Massachusetts , USA