Q&A
by Aaron Paitich
AMERICA'S
MOST
WANTED
THE FIRST CALL came from St. Thomas. The second from Uncle Sam.
Joel Johnson said yes to both, emphatically.
It was a busy offseason for the White Bear Lake native. But now
tasked with leading Minnesota's newest Division I women's hock-
ey team and the defending gold medalist U.S. Women's Olympic
Team, it will be an even busier winter.
MHJ // What's the first thing you did after accepting the Olympic job?
Joel Johnson // The first call I've always made was to my wife Shannon. I always call my
wife to get permission and she's always excited for me. We share this journey together. It's
always a big deal when you get asked to represent your country. It was an exciting day—one
that I'll never forget.
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M H J ON L I N E . C O M | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
Joel Johnson
tapped for two
of the biggest
jobs in hockey
