Bob Johnson (ice hockey b. 1931)

Robert "Badger Bob" Johnson (March 4,1931 – November 26, 1991) was an American college and professional ice hockey coach.

Johnson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended Minneapolis Central High School and the University of Minnesota, where he played hockey under legendary coach John Mariucci.

College and International Coaching Career

After serving as a medic during the Korean War, Johnson began his coaching career at a high school in Warroad, Minnesota. He later coached hockey at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. He would teach his History class using a hockey stick as a pointer to the chalkboard. He became the head hockey coach at Colorado College in 1963.

In 1966, he moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was head coach until 1981. He led the Badgers to seven NCAA tournaments, winning three championships in 1973, 1977, and 1981. It was at Wisconsin where Johnson earned the nickname, "Badger Bob."

He coached the 1976 Winter Olympic hockey team, the 1981, 1984 and 1987 U.S. teams in the Canada Cup tournament, and the 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1981 U.S. national teams.

NHL Coaching Career

In 1982 Johnson began his National Hockey League career when he became the head coach of the Calgary Flames, a position he held for five seasons. In the 1985–86 season, he coached the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost 4 games to 1 to the Montreal Canadiens. From 1987 until 1990, he served as the President of USA Hockey. Then in 1990, he was named the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his first season, he led the team, which was led by superstar Mario Lemieux, to a Stanley Cup championship victory over the Minnesota North Stars, four games to two. He was well-known amongst players and fans for his enthusiasm and unflappable optimism, immortalized through his famous catchphrase "It's a great day for hockey!"

In August 1991, as he was preparing the US team for the upcoming Canada Cup tournament, Johnson suffered a brain aneurysm and was hospitalized, where he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He turned his Penguins coaching duties over to Scotty Bowman and began treatment.

Johnson died of brain cancer in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on November 26, 1991. After his death, his catchphrase was emblazoned on a banner hanging over the ice at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was painted at the bluelines on the ice in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena. In memoriam, it remained on the ice there for the remainder of the season. In addition, Penguins players would wear a patch on the left sleeve of their jerseys with the word "BADGER" under his birth and death years. Pittsburgh also put his name on the Stanley Cup a second time after their second straight Cup victory in 1992.

Johnson was inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987, United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.

Johnson is also the father of 1980 Olympic hockey gold medalist and current Wisconsin Women's Hockey Coach Mark Johnson.

NHL Coaching Record

References

ee also

* List of members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
* List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
* List of notable brain tumor patients
* Notable families in the NHL

External links

* [http://www.wpt.org/blog/2007/10/wpt-be-more-tuned-in-podcast-uw-womens.html Audio interview with Mark Johnson from Wisconsin Public Television]
*hockeydb|26579