| Kelly Hrudey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Hrudey in 2006 | |||
| Born | (1961-01-13)January 13, 1961 (age 64) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Islanders Los Angeles Kings San Jose Sharks | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 38th overall,1980 New York Islanders | ||
| Playing career | 1981–1998 | ||
Kelly Hrudey (/ˈruːdi/; born January 13, 1961) is a Canadian former professionalice hockeygoaltender who is a broadcaster withSportsnet as a studio analyst forHockey Night in Canada and colour commentator forCalgary Flames regional broadcasts. During his playing career, Hrudey played in theNational Hockey League (NHL) for theNew York Islanders,Los Angeles Kings, andSan Jose Sharks from 1983 to 1998.
Hrudey playedjunior ice hockey for three years with theMedicine Hat Tigers of theWestern Hockey League (WHL), being named to WHL Second All-Star Team in1980–81. On June 11, 1980, Kelly was drafted in the second round (38th overall) of the1980 NHL entry draft by theNew York Islanders.[1] Hrudey played for theIndianapolis Checkers, New York'sCentral Hockey League (CHL) affiliate, before joining the Islanders.
With Hall of FamerBilly Smith entrenched in the Islanders net, Hrudey managed to begin splitting the goaltending duties starting in the1984–85, his first full season with the club. Hrudey's arrival allowed the Islanders to trade goaltenderRoland Melanson to theMinnesota North Stars for a first-round pick.[2]
Hrudey was the Islanders' goaltender during the seventh game of the division semifinals series against theWashington Capitals on April 18, 1987, when New York defeated the Capitals in the longest game in franchise history, a four-overtime game seven known as the "Easter Epic", which was won on a goal byPat LaFontaine after 68:47 minutes of overtime.[3] Hrudey made 73 saves in a 3–2 victory.[4] Hrudey's 73 saves in a single game was an NHL record untilJoonas Korpisalo's 85-save performance for theColumbus Blue Jackets in a 3–2 five-overtime loss to theTampa Bay Lightning during the first round series of the2020 Stanley Cup playoffs on August 11, 2020.[5][6]
Later in 1987, he was the third string goaltender onCanada senior team during the1987 Canada Cup, but did not appear in a game.
Despite finishing in the top five in voting for theVezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in two of his final three seasons in New York,[7] Hrudey was traded to theLos Angeles Kings on February 22, 1989.[8]
Hrudey was initially angry about the trade, because he had always dreamt of playing his career with one club,[9] but he quickly adjusted and became an important part of theWayne Gretzky-era Kings. Since his usual number #30 was retired by the Kings in honor ofRogie Vachon, Hrudey would switch to number #32 which he would wear for the rest of his career. His most notable moment with Los Angeles was playing in the1993 Stanley Cup Finals where the Kings lost to theMontreal Canadiens.[10] In the1994 NHL entry draft, the Kings selected goaltenderJamie Storr with a seventh overall pick,[11] and with him projected as the Kings' goaltender of the future, they let Hrudey test free agency when his contract ended.[citation needed] While it was time for him to move on, Hrudey appreciated his time with the Kings, saying "It was maybe the best eight years of my life playing hockey. I loved the management and the ownership. Just a wonderful place to spend eight seasons."[9]
On July 18, 1996, in what Hrudey called "a pretty easy decision,"[12] he signed a two-year deal with theSan Jose Sharks.[13] Hrudey served as the Sharks' starting goaltender for the1996–97 season until late January 1997, when the club traded for All-Star goaltenderEd Belfour.[14] With Belfour on the roster, Hrudey was pushed into the backup role.[15] Belfour left as a free agent at the end of the season,[16] but the Sharks acquired another veteran inMike Vernon,[17] and once again Hrudey played a support role, making 28 appearances, and managing just four wins. After the1997–98 season, Hrudey retired on July 30, 1998,[18] and joinedCBC Television'sHockey Night in Canada as an analyst.[19]
During the latter years of his playing career, he often joinedHockey Night in Canada as a studio analyst to supplement their playoff coverage if his team missed or was eliminated fromStanley Cup playoffs. After retiring, he joined the show full-time as a studio analyst.[20] He was featured in the "Behind the Mask" segment with hostsScott Russell and laterScott Oake during the first intermission of the second game of Saturday night doubleheaders. In 2007, Hrudey helped debut Hockey Night in Canada Radio. The show originating from Toronto with host Jeff Marek is a three-hour program dedicated to ice hockey. The show is broadcast on Sirius XM Channel 122 and 97. Hrudey co-hosts Monday and Wednesday from his home studio inCalgary. For the2008–09 season, he began working alongside hostRon MacLean andElliotte Friedman onHNIC's lead studio team.[citation needed]
Hrudey also made a weekly appearance on the TSN 1040 in Vancouver withRick Ball.[citation needed]
WithRogers Media, the parent company ofSportsnet, gaining the sole national rights to the NHL beginning in the2014–15 season, in August 2014, Hrudey joined Sportsnet full-time to participate in their ice hockey coverage. In addition to hisHockey Night in Canada role, he along with Ball became the new announcers for theCalgary Flames regional broadcasts.[21]
Hrudey and his wife have three children and live inAlberta. Hrudey does advocacy work in the field of mental health, inspired in part by his daughter's struggles withanxiety andobsessive-compulsive disorder.[22] He received an honorary degree fromMount Royal University on November 3, 2017, for his mental health advocacy efforts.[23] He is ofUkrainian descent.[24]
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1978–79 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 57 | 12 | 34 | 7 | 3,093 | 318 | 0 | 6.17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 57 | 25 | 23 | 4 | 3,049 | 212 | 1 | 4.17 | .899 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 638 | 48 | 0 | 4.51 | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 55 | 32 | 19 | 1 | 3,023 | 200 | 4 | 3.97 | .895 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 244 | 17 | 0 | 4.18 | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 135 | 8 | 0 | 3.56 | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 51 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 3,033 | 149 | 1 | 2.95 | .900 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 842 | 34 | 1 | 2.42 | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 47 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 2,744 | 139 | 2 | 3.04 | .894 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 637 | 28 | 0 | 2.64 | — | ||
| 1983–84 | New York Islanders | NHL | 12 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 535 | 28 | 0 | 3.14 | .903 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 370 | 21 | 0 | 3.40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | New York Islanders | NHL | 41 | 19 | 17 | 3 | 2,335 | 141 | 2 | 3.62 | .886 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 281 | 8 | 0 | 1.71 | .946 | ||
| 1985–86 | New York Islanders | NHL | 45 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 2,563 | 137 | 1 | 3.21 | .906 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 6 | 0 | 3.00 | .898 | ||
| 1986–87 | New York Islanders | NHL | 46 | 21 | 15 | 7 | 2,634 | 145 | 0 | 3.30 | .881 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 842 | 38 | 0 | 2.71 | .918 | ||
| 1987–88 | New York Islanders | NHL | 47 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 2,751 | 153 | 3 | 3.34 | .896 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 380 | 23 | 0 | 3.62 | .851 | ||
| 1988–89 | New York Islanders | NHL | 50 | 18 | 24 | 3 | 2,800 | 183 | 0 | 3.92 | .874 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 974 | 47 | 1 | 2.90 | .904 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 566 | 35 | 0 | 3.71 | .881 | ||
| 1989–90 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 52 | 22 | 21 | 6 | 2,860 | 194 | 2 | 4.07 | .873 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 539 | 39 | 0 | 3.62 | .853 | ||
| 1990–91 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 47 | 26 | 13 | 6 | 2,730 | 132 | 3 | 2.90 | .900 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 798 | 37 | 0 | 2.78 | .903 | ||
| 1991–92 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 60 | 27 | 17 | 13 | 3,509 | 197 | 1 | 3.37 | .897 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 355 | 22 | 0 | 3.72 | .877 | ||
| 1992–93 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 50 | 18 | 21 | 6 | 2,718 | 175 | 2 | 3.86 | .897 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 1,261 | 74 | 0 | 3.52 | .887 | ||
| 1993–94 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 64 | 22 | 31 | 7 | 3,713 | 228 | 1 | 3.68 | .897 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 25 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 1,894 | 99 | 0 | 3.14 | .910 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Phoenix Roadrunners | IHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 5.95 | .828 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 36 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 2,077 | 113 | 0 | 3.26 | .907 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 48 | 16 | 24 | 5 | 26,31 | 140 | 0 | 3.19 | .889 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 28 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 1,360 | 62 | 1 | 2.74 | .897 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 | .833 | ||
| NHL totals | 677 | 271 | 265 | 88 | 38,081 | 2174 | 17 | 3.43 | .893 | 85 | 36 | 46 | 5,161 | 283 | 0 | 3.29 | .891 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Canada | WC | 5 | — | — | — | 299 | 22 | — | 4.41 | — | |
| Senior totals | 5 | — | — | — | 299 | 22 | — | 4.41 | — | |||
| Preceded by | Winner of theTerry Sawchuk Trophy 1981–82,1982–83 With:Robert Holland | Succeeded by None |
| Preceded by | Winner of theTommy Ivan Trophy 1982–83 | Succeeded by |