Bob Johnson Robert N . Johnson , better known as " Badger " Bob Johnson ( b . March 4 , 1931 , Minneapolis , MN ; d . November 26 , 1991 , Colorado Springs , CO ) was a player , coach , and promoter of college hockey and American hockey in general . Johnson earned his nickname as " Badger " Bob from his 15 years and three NCAA titles as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin , but also coached at Colorado College , coached U . S . National and Olympic teams , coached the NHL ' s Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup finals , and won the Stanley Cup as the coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins . His accomplishments speak for themselves , but Johnson is best known for his tireless enthusiasm and postivity , even in the bleakest of moments . His signature phrase is his most powerful legacy : " It ' s a great day for hockey ! " Early Years . Johnson was born and raised in Minneapolis , Minnesota . He played high school hockey for the now defunct Minneapolis Central High School , and later went on to play at the University of Minnesota , under the tutelage of legendary coach John Mariucci . Following his time with the Gophers , Johnson served as a medic during the Korean War . After returning home to Minnesota , Johnson got back into hockey , but this time as a coach . Starting off in the high school ranks , Johnson coached first in Warroad , MN , and later back in his hometown of Minneapolis , coaching Roosevelt High School to four Minneapolis City titles in six seasons . Westward , Ho . Johnson ' s success at the high school level did not go unnoticed in the larger hockey community . In 1963 , Johnson was hired as the head coach at Colorado College . Johnson only spent three years in Colorado Springs , never leading the Tigers to a winning season . Still , Johnson mananged to turn some heads , considering that the Tigers were only two seasons removed from a winless campaign ( 0 - 23 - 0 in 1961 - 62 ) . On , Wisconsin . After his three seasons in the Rockies , Johnson was hired as only the second coach in the modern era of Badger hockey . Johnson replaced John Riley , who had overseen the upgrade to varsity sport status at UW . With a program only three years old , Johnson went right to work . His first season at UW was winning one ( 16 - 10 - 0 ) , as the Badgers played as a Division I independent , trying to earn admission into the Western Collegiate Hockey Association . Johnson ' s method was to schedule as many games as possible against WCHA teams , a tough task , but one that would pay large dividends in the long run . Wisconsin joined the WCHA for the 1969 - 70 season , and the Badgers suprised the old hands in the league by earning an NCAA tournament bid , the program ' s first . Johnson ' s success would continue to build , earning seven NCAA bids in his 15 years at Wisconsin , NCAA titles in 1973 , 1977 , and 1981 , as well as finishing second in 1982 . Johnson was named the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1977 , as Wisconsin swept the WCHA regular season , playoff , and NCAA tournament titles . These years cemented the " Badger " nickname , which he would carry with him for the rest of his career . Johnson built the Wisconsin program into a national power from nothing . His UW squads only had two losing seasons during his tenure , both during Olympic years ( Johnson was the 1976 U . S . Olympic coach , the Wisconsin team was coached by Bill Rothwell in that season ) . In 1982 , he took the head coaching job for the NHL ' s Calgary Flames , leaving Wisconsin in the hands of his former assistant , Jeff Sauer . As a testament to Johnson ' s excellent recruiting and good choice for a replacement , Sauer went on to lead the Badgers to another NCAA title in 1983 . Promoting American Hockey . Johnson was not just a strong figure in American college hockey , but also a strong believer in American hockey in general . Johnson coached the 1976 U . S . Olympic team to a fourth place finish in Innsbruck , Austria . He additionally game his time as the head coach for the U . S . Canada Cup teams in 1981 , 1984 , and 1987 , as well as the U . S . National teams in 1973 , 1974 , 1975 , and 1981 . After coaching the Flames , Johnson served as the Executive Director of USA Hockey from 1987 to 1989 , attempting to further the sport in the United States . Conquering the NHL . Johnson left Wisconsin in 1982 to coach the Calgary Flames , taking his talents to the highest level . As a testament to his coaching abilities , Johnson led the underdog Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1986 , before losing to the vastly superior Montreal Canadiens in five games . After leaving the NHL temporarily for his position in USA Hockey , Johnson was successfully wooed back into coaching at the NHL level by former 1980 U . S . Olympic assistant coach Craig Patrick . Patrick hired Johnson to coach the extremely talented but constantly bickering Pittsburgh Penguins . In his first season , Johnson ' s incessant optimism infected the Penguins , getting superstars such as Mario Lemieux to buy into Johnson ' s system . In 1991 , his first season in Pittsburgh , the Penguins won the Stanley Cup over his hometown Minnesota North Stars in six games . " Badger " Bob ' s Legacy . Shortly after Johnson reached the pinnacle of the hockey world , he was diagnosed with brain cancer . The cancer was very advanced , and " Badger " Bob tragically passed away in November 1991 , at the age of 60 . Johnson ' s legacy of success spans all levels of hockey , from high school to college , from the Olympics to the NHL . In 1992 , he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto . Johnson ' s legacy is not in doubt , as it includes his love for the game , passion , and enternal optimism . Mike Eaves , who played for Johnson both in college at Wisconsin and in the NHL in Calgary , noted that Johnson would always find the positives to emphasize . While being blown out in Calgary one night , all Johnson could talk about was how well they had moved the puck on one power play . His signature phrase epitomizes that spirit : " It ' s a great day for hockey ! " That phrase , to this day , is memorialized with a banner in Wisconsin ' s Kohl Center , and on the lockerroom wall in Pittsburgh , just two of the many stops along " Badger " Bob ' s journey .