Greg Johnson

Gregory C. Johnson (March 16, 1971 – July 7, 2019) was a professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators.
In over 700 career NHL games, Johnson earned 350 points from 134 goals and 216 assists. His best season was in 1998–99 where he achieved 16 goals and 34 assists.
== Contents ==
* 1 Playing career
** 1.1 Amateur
** 1.2 Professional
* 2 International play
* 3 Personal life
* 4 Career statistics
** 4.1 Regular season and playoffs
** 4.2 International
* 5 Awards and honours
* 6 References
* 7 External links
== Playing career ==
=== Amateur ===
Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Johnson recorded 96 points in 47 games for the local Thunder Bay Flyers of the USHL in 1988-89.
Johnson played four years at the University of North Dakota where he led the WCHA in assists twice and was placed on the conference First All-Star Team three straight years from 1991 to 1993. He was also placed on the NCAA West First All-American Team in 1991 and 1993 and the Second Team in 1992.
=== Professional ===
Johnson was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers as the 33rd pick in the second round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, but never played for the organization. On June 20, 1993, he was traded from the Flyers with future considerations to the Detroit Red Wings for Jim Cummins and a fourth round pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Red Wings head coach and general manager Bryan Murray specifically targeted Johnson as a skilled center whom the Wings could develop.[2]
Johnson spent parts of four seasons with the Red Wings from 1993 to 1997. On January 27, 1997, Johnson was traded by the Red Wings to the Pittsburgh Penguins for winger Tomas Sandstrom. The Wings, who were looking to add a more physical element and had depth down the middle, traded from a position of strength by sending the skilled center for the rugged veteran forward.[3] The move paid off for the Wings, as they went on to win the 1996-97 Stanley Cup.
Johnson played the rest of the 1996-97 season and part of the 1997-98 season with the Penguins before being traded to the Blackhawks for Tuomas Gronman on October 22, 1997.
Johnson was the 23rd pick of the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft by the Predators from the Blackhawks.[4] He would go on to spend the final seven years of his career with the team. Johnson was the second captain in Nashville Predators history,[5] and served in that capacity from 2002 until 2006. He had previously served as an alternate captain from 1999 to 2002.
Johnson became part of an anomaly during the 2005–06 season when he was credited with scoring a goal before the start of a game against the Detroit Red Wings. On November 21, 2005, he scored a goal during the first period of a game that was eventually postponed after Red Wings defender Jiri Fischer suffered a cardiac arrest. The game was replayed on January 23, 2006 and, while the full game was replayed, Johnson's goal was allowed to stand, thus giving Nashville a 1–0 lead before the opening faceoff.
On August 14, 2006, Johnson signed a one-year contract to rejoin his former team, the Detroit Red Wings. In September 2006, during a routine preseason physical, an EKG test returned abnormal results. Johnson had further testing, and eventually decided to retire before training camp.[6]
== International play ==
Medal record 	Medal record 	Medal record
Representing Canada 	Representing Canada 	Representing Canada
Ice hockey 	Ice hockey 	Ice hockey
Olympic Games 	Olympic Games 	Olympic Games
 	1994 Lillehammer 	
World Junior Championships	World Junior Championships	World Junior Championships
 	1991 Saskatchewan 	
Johnson earned a silver medal representing Canada at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. He also played for the Canadian National Team in the 1992–93 and 1993-94 seasons.
== Personal life ==
Johnson's brother Ryan was also a professional hockey player, playing for five teams over a fifteen-year NHL career.[7]
On July 7, 2019, Johnson's wife Kristin found him dead in the basement of their Detroit home. No cause of death has been given, but police reports concluded that it was suicide by firearm.[6] Johnson was 48 and survived by his wife and their two daughters.[8]
== Career statistics ==
=== Regular season and playoffs ===
 	 	 		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
1988–89 	Thunder Bay Flyers 	USHL 		47 	32 	64 	96 	4 		12 	5 	13 	18 	0
1989–90 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 		44 	17 	38 	55 	11 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 		38 	18 	61 	79 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 		39 	20 	54 	74 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 		34 	19 	45 	64 	18 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Canada 	Intl 		23 	6 	14 	20 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Canada 	Intl 		14 	2 	9 	11 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Adirondack Red Wings 	AHL 		3 	2 	4 	6 	0 		4 	0 	4 	4 	2
1993–94 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		52 	6 	11 	17 	22 		7 	2 	2 	4 	2
1994–95 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		22 	3 	5 	8 	14 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0
1995–96 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		60 	18 	22 	40 	30 		13 	3 	1 	4 	8
1996–97 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		43 	6 	10 	16 	12 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	NHL 		32 	7 	9 	16 	14 		5 	1 	0 	1 	2
1997–98 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	NHL 		5 	1 	0 	1 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 		69 	11 	22 	33 	38 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		68 	16 	34 	50 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–2000 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		82 	11 	33 	44 	40 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		82 	15 	17 	32 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		82 	18 	26 	44 	38 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		38 	8 	9 	17 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		82 	14 	18 	32 	33 		6 	1 	2 	3 	0
2005–06 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 		68 	11 	8 	19 	10 		5 	0 	1 	1 	2
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		785 	145 	224 	369 	345 		37 	7 	6 	13 	14
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
=== International ===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991 	Canada 	WJC 	 		7 	4	2	6 	0
1993 	Canada 	WC 	4th 		8 	1	2	3 	2
1994 	Canada 	OG 	 		8 	0	3	3 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		7 	4	2	6 	0
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		16	1	5	6 	2
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
== Awards and honours ==
Award 	Year 	
USHL 	USHL 	USHL
Forward of the Year 	1989 	
Clark Cup (Thunder Bay Flyers) 	1989 	
College 	College	College
WCHA All-Tournament Team 	1990 	[9]
All-WCHA First Team 	1990–91	
AHCA West First-Team All-American 	1990–91	
WCHA All-Tournament Team 	1991 	[9]
All-WCHA First Team 	1991–92	
AHCA West Second-Team All-American	1991–92	
All-WCHA First Team 	1992–93	
AHCA West First-Team All-American 	1992–93	
==External links==
* 
==References==
Category:Born in 1971
Category:Dead in 2019
Category:2019 deaths
Category:Adirondack Red Wings players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Nashville Predators players
Category:North Dakota Fighting Sioux players
Category:Philadelphia Flyers draft picks
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Thunder Bay Flyers players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Canada
Category:1994 Olympian
Category:Retired in 2006