Tom Johnson

Thomas Christian "Tomcat" Johnson (February 18, 1928 – November 21, 2007) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. Born in Baldur, Manitoba, and of Icelandic descent, he played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.

Johnson began his junior career with the Winnipeg Monarchs in 1946–47, a year in which his worthiness for the Toronto Maple Leafs' list of sponsored players was questioned. Following a match in which he scored both the tying and winning goals, he caught the eye of a Montreal Canadiens scout, who worked out a cash settlement with the Maple Leafs and placed him on the club's negotiation list. In his first year with Montreal, general manager Frank Selke was unable to secure a transfer from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association; Johnson spent that year playing informal hockey while taking a few classes at McGill University.

Johnson went on to play for the Canadiens and later the Bruins. He received the Norris Trophy in 1959 as the league's top defenceman. After his playing days, he served as assistant general manager and head coach of the Bruins.

Johnson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970. He died of heart failure at the age of 79 in Falmouth, Massachusetts.