Education
James Erik Johnson (born August 9, 1962) who graduated from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 1980, is an assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers, and a former American ice hockey player.
James Erik Johnson (born August 9, 1962) who graduated from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 1980, is an assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers, and a former American ice hockey player.
He played junior hockey before playing for University of Minnesota Duluth with Brett Hull in 1984. A defenseman, Johnson was signed as a free agent in 1985 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played for the Penguins until he was traded early in the 1990-1991 National Hockey League season to the Minnesota North Stars.
He followed the North Stars franchise when it moved to Dallas in 1993, and played with them until the trade deadline of the 1993-1994 National Hockey League season, when he was dealt to the Washington Capitals.
Johnson played for two full seasons with the Capitals before signing with the Phoenix Coyotes as a free agent in 1996, and retired two years later. After retirement Johnson became a youth hockey coach in the state of Arizona.
In that time he coached the VOSHA (Valley of the Sun Hockey Association) Mustangs to a United States of America Hockey Amateur National Championship back in 2005. On November 29, 2011, he replaced Bob Woods as an assistant coach of the Washington Capitals.
On July 10, 2012, General Manager Doug Wilson and Head Coach Todd McLellan named Johnson an assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks.
On April 20, 2015, the team announced that they had agreed to "part ways" with Head Coach Todd McLellan, Assistant Coaches Jim Johnson and Jay Woodcroft, as well as Video Coordinator Brett Heimlich. On June 25, 2015, the Edmonton Oilers appointed Jim Johnson and Jay Woodcroft as Assistant Coaches. The pair will join newly appointed head coach Todd McLellan in Edmonton.