Larry Johnston

Larry Johnston
Born	(1943-07-20) July 20, 1943 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Professional ice hockey defenceman
Years active	1962–1977
Known for	Playing in the NHL for Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Kansas City Scouts, Colorado Rockies; Springfield Indians/Kings in AHL

Larry Stuart Roy Johnston (born July 20, 1943) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who competed for more than 14 years in seven different leagues. He notably played for the Springfield Indians/Kings in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League (NHL), where he also held a brief captaincy.

Minor league hockey

Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1965, Johnston had experience with the Johnstown Jets of the Eastern Hockey League and the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. He was subsequently traded to the Springfield Indians of the AHL in exchange for Bruce Gamble. Following the acquisition and rebranding of the Springfield franchise by the Los Angeles Kings, Johnston appeared in four NHL contests during the 1967–68 season but did not return to NHL play for another three years.

In 1969, Johnston was honored as Springfield's Most Valuable Player and led the AHL in penalty minutes during both 1968 and 1969. His growing prominence resulted in a trade from Los Angeles to Detroit on February 20, 1970, alongside Dale Rolfe and Gary Croteau, in exchange for Garry Monahan, Brian Gibbons, and Matt Ravlich. He initially played with the Fort Worth Wings (CHL) before joining the Baltimore Clippers (AHL).

Advancement to the NHL

After appearing in 12 games with the Tidewater Wings (AHL), Johnston joined Detroit late in the 1971–72 NHL campaign. Following nearly ten years in minor leagues, he earned a roster spot with Detroit, concluding his rookie NHL season with a plus-20 rating, 24 points, and 111 penalty minutes. He was an integral contributor during a period of transition for Detroit after their earlier Stanley Cup triumphs.

In July 1974, Johnston signed with the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association (WHA), where injuries eventually limited his playing time. The franchise relocated mid-season to become the Baltimore Blades. Contractual disagreements emerged; Johnston alleged a breach by the league, whereas WHA representatives attributed issues to his performance. Reports suggested he effectively bought out his contract.

On March 1, 1975, Johnston was acquired by the Kansas City Scouts for cash considerations to enhance their defensive lineup. He completed both the remainder of the 1974–75 season and the entire 1975–76 season with them before the team relocated to Denver as the Colorado Rockies. Johnston participated in 25 games during the 1976–77 NHL season, which marked the conclusion of his NHL career.

He wrapped up that season playing for the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League and retired from professional hockey in 1977.

Career statistics

1965–661967–681967–68 AHL season1968–69 AHL season1969–70 AHL season1970–71 AHL season1971–72 AHL season   Virginia Wings   AHL   12   1   1   2   45    Detroit Red Wings    NHL    73    1    12    13    169 1973–74 NHL season    Detroit Red Wings    NHL    65    2    12    14    139    Michigan Stags#Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades    World Hockey Association#WHA    49    0    9    9    93 1974–75 NHL season    Kansas City Scouts    NHL    16    0    7    7    10    Kansas City Scouts    NHL    72    2   10   12   112 1976–77 NHL season     Colorado Rockies (NHL)     NHL    25    0    3    3    35     Maine Nordiques     North American Hockey League (1973–77)    51    4    22    26    62

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1962–63	Waterloo Siskins	CJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	Johnstown Jets	EHL		71	7	39	46	356		10	3	5	8	50
1964–65	Tulsa Oilers	CPHL		57	4	16	20	262		12	0	4	4	41
1965–66	Springfield Indians	AHL		29	2	5	7	58		—	—	—	—	—
Tulsa Oilers	CPHL	36		2	6	8	129	10		2	2	4	26
1966–67	Springfield Indians	AHL		59	4	14	18	93		—	—	—	—	—
Los Angeles Kings	NHL	4		0	0	0	4	—		—	—	—
Springfield Indians	AHL	60		2	22	24	197	4		0	2	2	22
Springfield Indians	AHL	74		3	21	24	240	—		—	—	—	—
Springfield Indians	AHL	52		3	24	27	150	—		—	—	—	—
Fort Worth Wings	CHL	13		1	0	1	60	7		0	1	1	7
Baltimore Clippers	AHL	58		2	14	16	198	6		0	1	1	12
Detroit Red Wings	NHL	65		4	20	24	111
AHL totals !344 !17 !101 !118 !981 !10 !0 !3 !3 !34 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"				NHL totals !320 !9 !64 !73 !580 !— !— !— !— !— | } External links