| Round | Overall |
| 2 | 8 |
 |
 |
Left-hand shot
Pre-Draft Statistics
| Year | Team | League | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
| 1964-65 | Peterborough | OHA | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965-66 | Peterborough | OHA | 44 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 91 |
Pre-Draft Notes
Did not play hockey until age 10. Spent majority of 1964-65 on Peterborough Jr. B team. Also competed in track in high school in distance races and the shot put.
Career Vitals
| First contract: | 1967 |
| Debut: | November 3, 1968 (Minnesota at New York) |
| Final NHL game: | February 8, 1976 (Chicago vs. Washington) |
| Retired: | 1976 |
| Stanley Cup: | Never won |
| Numbers worn: | 17 (Minnesota); 22 (California); 8 (Chicago) |
Career NHL Statistics
Teams: Minnesota,
California, Chicago
Years: 1968-1979. Playoffs:
None
| Regular Season | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 6 years | 331 | 85 | 106 | 191 | 320 |
| Stanley Cup Playoffs | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 0 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Complete statistics available at NHL.com | |||||
Career Highlights
Named to AHL All-Star First Team with Cleveland in 1970-71. ... Represented California in the NHL All-Star Game in 1973, 1974, and 1975. ... Led California with 28 goals in 1972-73. ... Led California in goals (27), assists (40), points (67), and power-play goals (9) in 1973-74. ... Served as California captain for balance of 1973-74 season and all of 1974-75 after being named to position in February 1974.
Transaction History
Summer 1967 -- Traded by Peterborough (OHA) to Kitchener in exchange for Ken Johnson. June 21, 1968 -- Traded by New York with Wayne Hillman and Dan Seguin to Minnesota in exchange for Dave Balon. May 20, 1971 -- Traded by Minnesota with Walt McKechnie to California in exchange for Dennis Hextall. June 1, 1975 -- Traded by California to Chicago in exchange for Jim Pappin and 1977 third-round pick (Guy Lash).
Significant Injuries
Missed part of 1972-73 season with broken jaw, an injury suffered in January 1973. ... Missed part of 1974-75 season with wrist injury. ... Missed Chicago's 1975 training camp and first 12 games of 1975-76 season recovering from broken right wrist and head injuries suffered in an Aug. 2, 1975, car accident. Johnston's van collided head-on with another car just outside Toronto, and he was thrown 30 feet from the vehicle. Although he came back to play in 1975-76, the injury prevented him from returning to form and forced his early retirement following that season.
Life Outside the NHL
Full Name: Joseph
John Johnston
Nicknames:
"The Jet" and "Joe Joe"
Other Post-Draft Teams: Peterborough (OHA); Buffalo (AHL); Omaha (CHL); Memphis, Iowa (CHL); Cleveland (AHL); Dallas (CHL).
OHA Suspension: Suspended by
the OHA for 15 games on Nov. 18, 1966, as a result of a
stick-swinging incident in game between Peterborough and Oshawa.
Education: Returned to Peterborough
and took up coaching after his retirement at age 27. He focused on
coaching at the Midget AAA level, while working as a local
contractor.
Family: Older brother of former
minor-leaguer Jim Johnston.
Miscellaneous:
| Selected by Minnesota Fighting Saints in 1972 WHA Draft -- the first WHA Draft, February 1972. | Worked in construction business during off-seasons of his early NHL playing days. | Began to play center for Iowa (CHL) during his third professional season in 1969-70. | Played center on line with Gary Croteau and Reggie Leach for California in 1971-72. |
| Worked at hockey camps in Ontario during off-seasons of ihs playing days in California. | Served as California Golden Seals NHLPA representative from 1973 to 1975. | Coached the Lakefield Midgets AAA team to OMHA provincial championship in 1991. | Inducted into Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. |
| SNAPSHOT '66 | |
| Total Selected: | 24 |
| Forwards: | 14 |
| Defense: | 8 |
| Goaltenders: | 2 |
| Major Junior: | 17 |
| College Players: | 0 |
| Canadian: | 24 |
| American: | 0 |
| Euro-Canadian: | 0 |
| European: | 0 |
| Reached NHL: | 14 |
| Won Stanley Cup: | 3 |
| Hall of Fame: | 1 |
| All-Star Game: | 3 |
| Year-end All-Star: | 1 |
| Olympians: | 0 |
| Picks Traded: | 1 |