Johnson, "Badger Bob" (Robert)
Hockey
b. March 4, 1931, Minneapolis, MN
d. Nov. 26, 1991
Although he was born in Minnesota, Johnson became known as "Badger Bob" because of his long tenure as hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin, from 1967 through the 1981-82 season. He coached Wisconsin to NCAA championships in 1973, 1977, and 1981.
After playing hockey at the Universities of North Dakota and Minnesota, Johnson coached at the high school level from 1956 until 1963, when he took over at Colorado College. He then moved on to Wisconsin, where he had a 367-175-23 record. While he was at Wisconsin, Johnson coached the U. S. national teams in 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1981, and was also coach of the 1976 Olympic team.
Johnson became coach of the NHL's Calgary Flames in 1982, where he had a 193-155-52 record, guiding the team to five consecutive Stanley Cup playoffs, including an appearance in the finals in 1986, when they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadians.
After the 1986-87 season, Johnson became executive director of the Amateur Hockey Association of the U. S., which became known as U. S. A. Hockey while he was in charge. He left that job to take over as coach of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990. Johnson took the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup championship in his first season.
Early in the 1991-92 season, he developed a brain tumor and was replaced by Scotty Bowman. Johnson, who liked to say "It's a great day for hockey," died two months later.