A KEY COG IN THE HABS’ DYNASTY OF THE 1950S, TOM JOHNSON SHONE ON THE MONTREAL BLUE LINE FOR 13 SEASONS.

One of 12 men who played on all five Stanley Cup winning teams from 1956 through 1960, Tom Johnson was a stalwart on the blue line for 13 complete seasons with the Canadiens. That was just the beginning of an illustrious hockey career that extended for more than half a century.

He appeared in one game with the big club in 1947-48, replacing a player sidelined by injury, and another in the 1949-50 playoffs before joining the team for good at the start of the next season.

Partnered with Doug Harvey, Johnson was rock-solid on the blue line, making the pair the NHL’s top defensive duo of the 1950s. At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Johnson could throw his weight around but preferred instead to use his skill with his stick to disarm oncoming attackers.

An adept stick-handler and effective passer, he was instrumental in launching the powerful Montreal transition game, coolly relieving opponents of the puck and directing the play back up the ice.

Never the fastest skater on the ice, Johnson relied instead on his anticipation and hockey sense and was rarely outplayed or caught out of position. Within a few short years, the steady and effective defenseman was considered one of the most reliable in the league.

Johnson’s development paralleled that of the team as a whole. As the last few elements of the legendary 1950s dynasty were added, the Habs made it to the Finals in five straight years but failed to win the Cup in any of those outings.

Once all the pieces were in place, Johnson played a pivotal role on five consecutive championship teams. Playing in the long shadow cast by Harvey, Johnson’s unfailing defensive excellence sometimes went unnoticed by fans more intent on watching the big guns of the NHL’s most-feared offense at work.

With 10 goals and 29 assists, Johnson had the best offensive year of his career in 1958-59. His uncharacteristic scoring prowess coupled with his excellent play in his own end helped Johnson win his third Stanley Cup. It also earned him the right to have his name engraved on the Norris Trophy, recognizing him as the NHL’s top defenseman that season.

Johnson played for Montreal until the end of the 1962-63 campaign, appearing in 857 regular season games over 15 seasons, the third highest games-played total at the time.

Acquired by Boston prior to the 1963-64 season, Johnson suited up with the Bruins until an injury forced his retirement in 1965, setting the stage for the second phase of his hockey career.

Moving into the Boston front office, Johnson spent the next three decades with the Bruins organization in a variety of roles. Originally hired as an assistant to the general manager, he was behind the bench for their last Stanley Cup Championship in 1972. He was a Bruins vice-president when he hung up his skates a second time in 1999.

Among the select few admitted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Johnson was inducted in 1970.

Tom Johnson passed away on November 21, 2007 at the age of 79.