Left winger Earl Johnson dressed for one game with the Detroit Red Wings in 1953-54. He was best known for his scoring and longevity in the minor leagues, especially in the Western Hockey League.
Born in Fort Frances, Ontario, Johnson played three years of junior with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHA. He was also a proficient scorer with the Detroit Hettche club in the IHL as well as the Edmonton Flyers of the PCHL/WHL. In 1951-52 he scored 37 goals as a rookie with the Flyers but was nosed out by Guyle Fielder in the voting for the league's top freshman. The year he was called up by Detroit, Johnson played in Edmonton as well as the Sherbrooke Saints of the Quebec Senior league.
Johnson played nine more seasons of minor pro hockey before retiring in 1963. His best stretch came with the Spokane Comets of the WHL from 1958 to 1961 when he accounted for 103 goals and often formed a potent line with Del Topoll and NHL prospect Al Johnson.
