A veteran of World War I, Johnson did not begin playing competitive hockey until he was in his 20s and was nearly 30 when he first broke into the NHL. Regarded as one of the hardest bodycheckers to ever play the game, he was a fan favourite and went on to play 436 games with the Rangers and Americans before spending his final seasons in the minor leagues as a player, coach and official. Johnson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958, and is also a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.