Marshall Johnston
Canadian defenceman, coach, and executive in the NHL.
Last updated
Lawrence Marshall Johnston, a Canadian, played defence in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars and California Golden Seals. He later coached those same Seals and the Colorado Rockies, and served as general manager for the Ottawa Senators. The IIHF Hall of Fame inducted him in 1998.
Career
Marshall Johnston was a standout college player at the University of Denver, earning All-American honors before moving on to the NHL. He later returned to coach the Pioneers from 1977 to 1981. On the international stage, Johnston played for Canada in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics, captaining the team in 1968.
The 1964 Games created a lasting controversy for Canada. The teams from Canada, Czechoslovakia, and Sweden all finished with five wins and two losses. Canada believed they had secured the bronze medal based on goal differential among the three tied teams.
But when they showed up for the medal ceremony, they learned they had placed fourth because the tiebreaker used goal differential from all seven games. The players and Canadian hockey officials accused International Ice Hockey Federation president Bunny Ahearne of changing the rules at the last minute to deny Canada a medal. That night, the team gathered in Father David Bauer’s room, where Johnston summed up their frustration by saying, “The shepherd and his flock have been fleeced.”
Johnston entered the NHL as a player during the 1967–68 expansion season. He spent parts of four seasons with the Minnesota North Stars before joining the California Golden Seals in 1971–72. After retiring as a player, he became head coach of the Golden Seals from 1973 to 1975. He then moved to the NCAA, spending six seasons on the coaching staff at the University of Denver, including four as head coach from 1977 to 1981.
In 1981, Johnston returned to the NHL with the Colorado Rockies as an assistant general manager and assistant coach, soon being promoted to head coach. When the franchise moved to New Jersey and became the Devils, Johnston stayed with the team and later served as Director of Player Personnel for ten years. In 1996, he joined the Ottawa Senators as Director of Player Personnel, and in 1999 he became the club’s general manager, taking over from Rick Dudley. After three successful seasons leading the Senators, Johnston retired to spend more time with his wife and family.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1957–58 | Prince Albert Mintos | SJHL | 49 | 20 | 29 | 49 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1958–59 | Prince Albert Mintos | SJHL | 48 | 31 | 24 | 55 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1959–60 | University of Denver | WCHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960–61 | University of Denver | WCHA | 32 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1961–62 | University of Denver | WCHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–63 | University of Denver | WCHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–64 | Canadian National Team | Intl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Winnipeg Monarchs | SSHL | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1965–66 | Canadian National Team | Intl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Canadian National Team | Intl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Winnipeg Nationals | WCSHL | — | 5 | 13 | 18 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 53 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 1968–69 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Iowa Stars | CHL | 50 | 1 | 25 | 26 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 28 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970–71 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 69 | 11 | 45 | 56 | 45 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| 1970–71 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 74 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 78 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 50 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | 250 | 14 | 52 | 66 | 58 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Canada | OLY | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| 1966 | Canada | WC | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1967 | Canada | WC | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1968 | Canada | OLY | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | |
| Senior totals | 28 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 14 | |||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Marshall Johnston (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
More in California Golden Seals Players
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Marshall Johnston (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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