[4][5] Johnson relocated to Newfoundland in December 1959, after he was appointed the accountant of the main Bank of Nova Scotia branch in downtown St.

[4] His assist on the winning goal in the decisive game in 1960 ended a 16-year consecutive championship streak by the Saint Bonaventure's College alumni senior team.

[8] Johnson temporarily retired as a player and was named head coach of the St. Patrick's junior and senior hockey teams for the 1961–62 season.

The NAHA also wanted its senior league to have shorter playoffs for the Allan Cup instead of an interlocking schedule with teams from the Maritimes.

Johnson stated that despite Newfoundland becoming Canada's tenth province in 1949, the NAHA took 17 years to affiliate with the CAHA "through lack of information, misinterpretation of correspondence and other factors".

[17] He remained involved in senior hockey in Newfoundland, and was an assistant coach with the St. John's Capitals that won three consecutive Herder Memorial Trophy championships from 1973 to 1975.

[4] He travelled to China to represent the CAHA on an exhibition tour by the UBC Thunderbirds men's ice hockey team in December 1973.

[18][19] The trip was supported by the Government of Canada as part of a desire to normalize relations with China, and coach Bob Hindmarch and his players conducted practices attended by the Chinese.

[24] In May 1975, the CAHA adopted of series of updates to its ice hockey rules in an effort to reduce on-ice violence and improve the safety of players.

Changes specifically targeted fighting, cross-checking, high-sticking, head butting and preventing the abuse of on-ice officials.

[1][27] He was immediately faced with a large budget shortfall and internal disagreement over the jurisdiction of junior hockey in Western Canada.

[26] The CAHA sought C$195,000 from the World Hockey Association (WHA) in outstanding payments for drafting and signing junior-aged players to professional contracts.

Financial assistance was provided by the Government of Canada and from a sponsorship negotiated with the O'Keefe Sports Foundation and the Daoust-Lalonde skate company.

The Alberta Amateur Hockey Association was upset with the WCHL which relocated teams into Alberta without consultation, and the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association had withdrawn from the general meeting in protest of perceived lack of support in getting the WCHL to affiliate its three teams in British Columbia.

Johnson stated that the CAHA would take necessary action if any party did not live up to expectations, and felt that negotiations with WCHL president Ed Chynoweth were going smoothly.

[34][36] Johnson was re-elected president of the CAHA by acclamation in May 1976, and looked to implement a national championship for the senior intermediate division which only had regional playoffs.

[42][43] The IIHF agreed to delay the tournament by two weeks, which allowed Canada to access more professionals who were no longer active in NHL or WHA playoffs.

[44] China invited another Canadian amateur team for an instructional tour and requested the CAHA bring along referees to teach Chinese on-ice officials.

[39] He also arranged an exchange for Chinese players and coaches to attend professional and junior training camps in Canada, and hoped for the China men's national ice hockey team to visit.

[52] Johnson was a member of the Royal St. John's Regatta committee for 18 years from 1986, and served as a director, secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and president.

[1][27][53] He volunteered as president of the Newfoundland Lung Association, sat on the board of directors for the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and was chairman of the Williams Family Foundation.

At the end of inaugural competition for the cup, Johnson awarded his namesake trophy to his own son as the assistant captain of the Brother Rice Celtics from St. John's, Newfoundland.

[1][50] After Johnson's death, he was given a tribute in the Newfoundland House of Assembly on May 14, 2012, by Derrick Dalley, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.