Eddie Johnston
Last NHL goaltender to play every minute of a season.
Edward Joseph Johnston (born November 24, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender, coach, and general manager whose NHL career spanned 53 years—22 as a player and 31 in management. He won two Stanley Cups as a player with the Boston Bruins (1970, 1972) and three more as a senior advisor for hockey operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017), an organization he served in various roles for 25 years. He is the last NHL goaltender to have played every minute of every game in a single season, accomplishing that feat in 1963–64.
Growing up in an anglophone neighborhood of Montreal, Johnston was known as "E.J." He took up hockey as a youth and became a goaltender. His career began in 1953 with the Montreal Junior Royals of the Quebec Junior Hockey League. After six years in the minors, where he won multiple championships, he posted standout seasons: in 1959–60 he played every game for his EHL team, going 43–18–1 and winning the league title; the next year he played all 70 games for the Hull Ottawa Canadians, going 41–20–9 with a 2.67 GAA and another championship; and after another 70-game season with the Spokane Comets, he was called up in 1962 by the Boston Bruins, who held his rights and for whom he would play most of his NHL career.
In 1963–64, Johnston played every game for the Bruins, becoming the last NHL goaltender to log an "iron man" season. The Bruins were mediocre in his first five years, missing the playoffs and often finishing last. After the 1967 expansion and the arrivals of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, Boston became a powerhouse. As a backup to Gerry Cheevers, Johnston went 16–9–11 in 1969–70, and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. The next season he posted a career-best 30–6–2 record with a 2.53 GAA, though Boston fell in the first playoff round. In 1971–72 he went 27–8–3, played 13 playoff games (going 6–1, including Games 2, 4, and 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals), and posted a lower GAA than Cheevers as the Bruins won another Cup. He was named to Team Canada for the 1972 Summit Series but played only in exhibition games. After defections to the WHA left him as Boston’s number one in 1972–73, he went 24–17–1 but struggled, and was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the deal that brought Jacques Plante to Boston. After one season in Toronto, he was dealt to the St.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 0
- Weight Lb
- 190
- Played For
- Boston Bruins / Toronto Maple Leafs / St. Louis Blues / Chicago Black Hawks
- Birth Date
- 1935-11-24
- Birth Place
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Career Start
- 1956
- Career End
- 1978
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Johnston grew up in an anglophone neighborhood in Montreal and was often called 'E.J.'. He began his hockey career as a teenager in 1953 with the Montreal Junior Royals of the Quebec Junior Hockey League. After six years in the minor leagues, he was called up in 1962 by the Boston Bruins, who owned his rights. During the 1963–64 season, he completed the 'Iron man season' by playing in every game, becoming the last NHL goaltender to do so. The Bruins were a mediocre team in his first five seasons, finishing out of the playoffs every year. This changed after expansion in 1967, when after acquiring Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, the resurgent Bruins became a powerhouse. In a backup role to Gerry Cheevers, Johnston won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and again in 1972, playing in 13 playoff games in the latter run. Johnston and Cheevers' goaltending duo is still considered one of the best in Bruins history. On Halloween night in 1968, Johnston was severely injured by Bobby Orr's slapshot to the side of his head during a warm-up in Detroit, spending six weeks in the hospital. He emerged from a coma, was given a clean bill of health, and returned later that season. Orr took full responsibility, and the two remained good friends.
Reader's Guide
Johnston's significance lies in his longevity and versatility across five decades in hockey. As a player, he was the last goaltender to play every minute of every game in a season, a feat that underscores his durability. His two Stanley Cups with the Bruins came during the team's resurgence in the early 1970s, and his partnership with Gerry Cheevers is remembered as one of the best goaltending duos in franchise history. After retiring, Johnston transitioned into coaching and management, most notably with the Pittsburgh Penguins. As general manager, he oversaw the selection of Mario Lemieux in the entry draft, a move that saved the franchise. He later served as head coach and senior advisor, contributing to three more Stanley Cup championships. His tenure in Hartford as general manager is noted for trading Ron Francis, a deal that proved more beneficial to Pittsburgh. Johnston remains a key figure in Penguins history, holding the franchise record for coaching losses and games coached. He was inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Did You Know?
- Johnston was the last NHL goaltender to play every minute of every game in a season, doing so in 1963–64.
- He was severely injured by Bobby Orr's slapshot during warm-up on Halloween night 1968, spending six weeks in the hospital.
- As general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he oversaw the selection of Mario Lemieux in the entry draft.
- Johnston won five Stanley Cups total: two as a player with Boston and three as a senior advisor with Pittsburgh.
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