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Johnny Wilson (ice hockey)

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Johnny Wilson
Wilson with the Detroit Red Wings
Born (1929-06-14)June 14, 1929
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada
Died December 27, 2011(2011-12-27) (aged 82)
Livonia, Michigan, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Chicago Black Hawks
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
Playing career

1947–1962

Coaching career
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1965–1967Princeton
1967–1969Springfield Kings
1969–1970Los Angeles Kings
1970–1971Springfield Kings
1971Tidewater Wings
1971–1973Detroit Red Wings
1974–1975Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades
1975–1976Cleveland Crusaders
1976–1977Colorado Rockies
1977–1980Pittsburgh Penguins
1980–1981Springfield Indians
Head coaching record
Overall14–27–1 (.345) [College]

John Edward Wilson (June 14, 1929 – December 27, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and head coach. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers between 1950 and 1962. With Detroit Wilson won the Stanley Cup four times. After his playing career he coached in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit, the Colorado Rockies, and Pittsburgh Penguins between 1969 and 1980. He also coached the Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades and Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association between 1974 and 1976, as well as the Canadian national team at the 1977 World Championship

Playing career

[edit]

After three seasons with the Windsor Spitfires, Wilson signed his first professional contract with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League in September 1949, but spent most of the 1949–50 season with their farm team, the Omaha Knights. He was called up by the Red Wings late in the season and helped them win the Stanley Cup. After spending most of the 1950–51 season in the minors, Wilson joined the Red Wings on a full-time basis midway through the 1951–52 season and went on to help them win three more Stanley Cups (1952, 1954, 1955).

Soon after winning the Stanley Cup in 1955, Red Wings general manager Jack Adams traded Wilson to the Chicago Black Hawks as part of an eight-player swap. After two solid seasons in Chicago, he was reacquired by the Red Wings in the infamous Ted Lindsay trade and played two more seasons with the Red Wings before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1959. A year later, the Leafs sent Wilson to the New York Rangers, along with another player, for Eddie Shack. After two seasons with the Rangers, Wilson retired following the 1961–62 season.

During his NHL career, Wilson scored 161 goals and 171 assists in 688 regular-season games and 27 points in 66 playoff games. He won the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings and appeared in two all-star games (1954, 1956). One of his most notable accomplishments was playing in 580 consecutive games between 1951 and 1960, making him the NHL's second "iron man".[1][2]

Coaching career

[edit]

In 1967, Wilson was hired as the head coach of the Springfield Kings of the American Hockey League, the minor league affiliate of the new Los Angeles Kings expansion team. Midway into his third season with Springfield, Wilson was promoted to interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings after Hal Laycoe was fired following a dismal start to the season. However, Wilson was unable to turn the team around and returned to Springfield after the season was finished. He ended up leading Springfield to a Calder Cup title the very next season.

After winning the Calder Cup in 1971, Wilson was hired by the Detroit Red Wings during the 1971–72 season as a midseason replacement. Despite having a winning record behind the Wings' bench, the team missed the playoffs two straight seasons and Wilson was let go. It would be 15 years before another Red Wings' coach would better Wilson's record.

From there, he spent two years in the World Hockey Association, one with the Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades (1974–75) and one with the Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76). He returned to the NHL, coaching one season with the Colorado Rockies (1976–77), and three with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–80), where he led the Penguins to two playoff appearances. Wilson returned to coach Springfield one more season and then retired from coaching in 1981.[3]

Wilson was named coach of the Canadian national team that competed at the 1977 World Championship in Vienna. Canada, making an appearance at the event for the first time since 1969, finished fourth. The team was composed entirely of players whose teams had not qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Personal

[edit]

Johnny was the brother of Larry Wilson and uncle of Ron Wilson, both of whom played and coached in the NHL.

Wilson made his home in the Detroit area, together with his wife Pat, and was frequently seen at Red Wings home games. The couple has two children, a son, Kelly and a daughter, Tracy. Tracy A. Wilson, a former TV writer and show host, is currently writing a book - a true story that sent her on a journey into her father's life and led her to discover parts of her own as well. She also writes a blog called Tracy Wilson Writing Life.

On December 27, 2011, Johnny died of pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 82. He had battled lung disease and colon cancer for several years.[1][2]

Career statistics

[edit]

Regular season and playoffs

[edit]
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1947–48 Windsor Spitfires OHA 34 23 28 51 15 12 4 6 10 11
1947–48 Windsor Hettche Spitfires IHL 25 21 13 34 19
1948–49 Windsor Spitfires OHA 25 30 20 50 24 4 1 0 1 2
1948–49 Windsor Hettche Spitfires IHL 4 5 4 9 0 13 16 7 23 16
1949–50 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 1 1 0
1949–50 Omaha Knights USHL 70 41 39 80 46 7 2 5 7 4
1950–51 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 70 34 21 55 48 3 1 0 1 4
1950–51 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 0
1951–52 Detroit Red Wings NHL 28 4 5 9 18 8 4 1 5 5
1951–52 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 42 25 14 39 16
1952–53 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 23 19 42 22 6 2 5 7 0
1953–54 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 17 17 34 22 12 3 0 3 0
1954–55 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 12 15 27 14 11 0 1 1 0
1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 24 9 33 12
1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 18 30 48 24
1957–58 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 12 27 39 14 4 2 1 3 0
1958–59 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 11 17 28 18
1959–60 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 15 16 31 8 10 1 2 3 2
1960–61 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 3 0 1 1 0
1960–61 Rochester Americans AHL 2 2 2 4 0
1960–61 New York Rangers NHL 56 14 12 26 24
1961–62 New York Rangers NHL 40 11 3 14 14 6 2 2 4 4
NHL totals 688 161 171 332 190 66 14 13 27 16

Head coaching record

[edit]

College

[edit]
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Princeton Tigers (ECAC Hockey) (1965–1967)
1965–66 Princeton 7–12–1 6–12–1 12th
1966–67 Princeton 7–15–0 6–14–0 13th
Princeton: 14–27–1 12–26–1
Total: 14–27–1

[4]

NHL

[edit]
Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
Los Angeles Kings 1969–70 52 9 34 9 27 6th in West Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings 1971–72 76 30 27 10 70 5th in East Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings 1972–73 78 37 29 12 86 5th in East Missed playoffs
Colorado Rockies 1976–77 80 20 46 14 54 5th in Smythe Missed playoffs
Pittsburgh Penguins 1977–78 80 25 37 18 68 4th in Norris Missed playoffs
Pittsburgh Penguins 1978–79 80 36 31 13 85 2nd in Norris Lost in quarter-finals
Pittsburgh Penguins 1979–80 80 30 37 13 73 3rd in Norris Lost in preliminary round
NHL Totals 517 187 241 89

WHA

[edit]
Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades 1974–75 78 21 53 4 46 5th in West Missed playoffs
Cleveland Crusaders 1975–76 80 35 40 5 75 2nd in East Lost in preliminary round

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Former NHLer Johnny Wilson dies". Slam! Sports (Canoe.ca). Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2011-12-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b "Johnny Wilson, N.H.L. Star, Dies at 82; Held Consecutive-Game Record". The New York Times. 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  3. ^ "The story of Johnny Wilson". Toronto Sun. 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  4. ^ "Men's Hockey Year-by-Year". Princeton Tigers. Retrieved 2017-07-10.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings
1971–73
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Los Angeles Kings
1969–70
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Colorado Rockies
1976–77
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins
197780
Succeeded by