# Tom Johnson (ice hockey)

Thomas Christian "Tomcat" Johnson (February 18, 1928 – November 21, 2007) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. As a player, he played for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League. He later served as the assistant manager of the Bruins and the Bruins' coach. Johnson was the recipient of the Norris Trophy in 1959. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970.
Johnson died of heart failure at age 79 in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He was born in Baldur, Manitoba and was of Icelandic descent.

## Hockey career

Johnson won the Stanley Cup as a player with Montreal in 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1960. After his playing career, Johnson was named on the Cup a seventh and an eighth time. His seventh time came as assistant general manager in 1970 and his eighth as the Bruins' coach in 1972. Johnson was a member of the Bruins organization for more than 30 years.

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1946–47 | Winnipeg Monarchs | MJHL | 14 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 19 |
| 1947–48 | Montreal Royals | QSHL | 16 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1947–48 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1948–49 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 68 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1949–50 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 58 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 52 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 1949–50 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950–51 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 128 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1951–52 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 76 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1952–53 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 63 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 1953–54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 85 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 30 |
| 1954–55 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 74 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 22 |
| 1955–56 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 75 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1956–57 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 59 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 1957–58 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958–59 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 76 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 1959–60 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 59 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1960–61 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 1961–62 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 45 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962–63 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 43 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–64 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 51 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 979 | 51 | 213 | 264 | 960 | 111 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 109 |

### Coaching statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Games | Wins | Losses | Result |
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 57 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | Lost in quarter-finals |
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 54 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 3 | Won Stanley Cup |
| 1972–73 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 52 | 31 | 16 | 5 | — | — | — | Promoted to Assistant GM midseason |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 208 | 142 | 43 | 23 | 22 | 15 | 7 | |

## Awards and achievements

* NHL Second All-Star team Defenseman (1956)
* NHL first All-Star team Defenseman (1959)
* James Norris Memorial Trophy winner (1959)
* Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970
* Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1993
* Honored Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
* Regular season coaching wins percentage leader (0.738, minimum 100 games coached)
* Coach, 26th National Hockey League All-Star Game