| Jiří Hudler | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Hudler with theCalgary Flames in 2013 | |||
| Born | (1984-01-04)4 January 1984 (age 41) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | HC Vsetín Havířov Panthers Ak Bars Kazan Detroit Red Wings Dynamo Moscow Lev Praha HC Oceláři Třinec Calgary Flames Florida Panthers Dallas Stars | ||
| National team |  Czech Republic | ||
| NHL draft | 58th overall,2002 Detroit Red Wings | ||
| Playing career | 1999–2017 | ||
Jiří Hudler (/ˈjɪriːˈhʊdlər/;Czech:[ˈjɪr̝iːˈɦudlɛr]; born 4 January 1984) is aCzech former professionalice hockeyforward. He played with theDetroit Red Wings,Calgary Flames,Florida Panthers and theDallas Stars of theNational Hockey League (NHL). After beginning his career in theCzech Extraliga withHC Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by theDetroit Red Wings in the2002 NHL Entry Draft and won theStanley Cup with the club in2008. Hudler also played forDynamo Moscow in theKontinental Hockey League (KHL) for one season before the team was merged to formUHC Dynamo.
Hudler spent his youth in the eliteCzech Extraliga withHC Vsetín, beginning in the 1999–2000 season. After recording a point-per-game season with the club in 2001–02, he was drafted by theDetroit Red Wings with their first pick in the second round, 58th overall, of the2002 NHL Entry Draft. He remained in the Extraliga the following season, including a brief stint withAk Bars Kazan of theRussian Superleague (RSL), before moving to North America for the2003–04 season. Although he competed in 12 games for the Red Wings that season, he played the majority of the campaign with Detroit'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theGrand Rapids Griffins, scoring 49 points in 57 games in his rookie AHL season. Due to the2004–05 NHL lockout, Hudler remained in the AHL the following season while also returning to play with Vsetín for seven games. Although NHL play resumed in2005–06, he played his third season with the Griffins, breaking-out with 36 goals and 96 points in 76 games to be named to the AHL Second All-Star Team. His 60 assists established a single-season Griffins team-record.
Hudler finally broke through onto the Red Wings roster in2006–07 and scored 25 points in 76 games to be chosen team rookie of the year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. No one in the NHL scored more goals in fewer average minutes per game (10:02) than Hudler. Hudler played sporadically in the2007 playoffs, however, often splitting time withKyle Calder. He contributed two assists in six games. Former Wings teammate and fellow CzechRobert Lang took Hudler under his wing when Hudler joined the team. Hudler spent time living in Lang's home when he first arrived in the United States, and Lang even went so far as to call Hudler "a third son". Following his rookie NHL season, Hudler spent time during the off-season training with fellow NHLersChris Chelios,Mathieu Schneider andRob Blake inSouthern California. As a result, he said that he felt faster and stronger.[1]
Playing in his second full season with the Red Wings, Hudler improved to 42 points. On 4 June 2008, he won theStanley Cup as a member of the Red Wings, scoring five goals and adding nine assists during Detroit's successful playoff run, including the game-winning goal in Game 4 of theFinals against thePittsburgh Penguins. He continued to improve in2008–09, notching 23 goals and 57 points. However, facing the Penguins once again inthe Finals, Hudler and the Red Wings failed to defend their championship, losing in seven games.
Becoming a restricted free agent in the off-season, Hudler filed for arbitration with the Red Wings.[2] However, soon thereafter, he signed a contract withDynamo Moscow of theKontinental Hockey League (KHL) for $10 million over two years on 8 July 2009, while his arbitration case with the Red Wings was later settled at $5.75 million over the same term.[3] In response to Hudler's signing with Dynamo Moscow,USA Hockey filed an appeal to theInternational Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) alleging that Hudler was still under contract with the Red Wings. Pending the IIHF's investigation, Hudler was not granted a transfer card, which would have either prevented him from playing in the KHL or caused the league sanctions.[4] The IIHF later approved Hudler's KHL contract on 9 September 2009, revealing that although Hudler's agent had filed for the arbitration case on his client's behalf, Hudler had not actually signed for the case himself, rendering the arbitration case invalid. Further, the IIHF ruled that USA Hockey had failed to submit their appeal within the required timeline.[5]
After one season with Dynamo Moscow, Hudler was released by the team on 18 April 2010, just four days before Dynamo was merged into "UHC Dynamo" (later to return to "Dynamo Moscow"). Eight days later, Hudler returned to the same Red Wings team he had left following his 2009 arbitration case, for two years at $2.875 million per season, the same contract he would have received in arbitration in 2009.[6] Despite reaching a settlement with the team, he was ineligible to return for the2010 playoffs, as he was not an active roster player before theNHL trade deadline.[7] Hudler would return for the2010–11 season.
On 2 July 2012, Hudler signed a four-year, $16 million contract with theCalgary Flames worth $4 million per year. In the2014–15 season, Hudler set career-highs in NHL points, scoring 76 points in 78 games and helping the Flames reach theStanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years. He was also nominated for theLady Byng Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most sportsmanlike player, which he was named the winner of on 24 June.
During the2015–16 season, on 27 February 2016, Hudler, in the final year of his contract with the Flames, was traded to theFlorida Panthers in exchange for second- and fourth-round picks in the2016 and2018 NHL Entry Drafts, respectively.[8]
Becoming a free agent in the subsequent off-season, on 23 August 2016, Hudler signed a one-year, $2 million contract with theDallas Stars.[9]
On October 4, 2017, it was reported that Hudler has been accused of a belligerent outburst on a flight fromNew York toPrague. Reportedly, he asked a flight attendant for cocaine and when he did not get it, he threatened to have her murdered and attempted to urinate on a food cart.[10]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999–2000 | HC Slovnaft Vsetín | CZE U20 | 47 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 73 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 1999–2000 | HC Slovnaft Vsetín | ELH | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Slovnaft Vsetín | CZE U20 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Slovnaft Vsetín | ELH | 22 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Femax Havířov | ELH | 15 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | HC Vsetín | ELH | 46 | 15 | 31 | 46 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CZE.2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 10 | ||
| 2001–02 | HC Olomouc | CZE.3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | HC Vsetín | ELH | 30 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Ak Bars Kazan | RSL | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 57 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | Vsetínská hokejová | ELH | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 52 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 76 | 36 | 60 | 96 | 56 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 20 | ||
| 2005–06 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 76 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 26 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 14 | ||
| 2008–09 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 82 | 23 | 34 | 57 | 16 | 23 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10 | Dynamo Moscow | KHL | 54 | 19 | 35 | 54 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 73 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 25 | 25 | 50 | 42 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Lev Praha | KHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | HC Oceláři Třinec | ELH | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 42 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 75 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 78 | 31 | 45 | 76 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 53 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 19 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2016–17 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 32 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| ELH totals | 126 | 48 | 68 | 116 | 116 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 708 | 164 | 264 | 428 | 243 | 83 | 16 | 26 | 42 | 40 | ||||
| KHL totals | 69 | 20 | 41 | 61 | 68 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Czech Republic | ||
| Men'sice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championships | ||
 | 2002 Slovakia | |
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Czech Republic | U17 | 5th | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2000 | Czech Republic | WJC18 | 6th | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2002 | Czech Republic | WJC18 |  | 8 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 8 | |
| 2002 | Czech Republic | WJC | 7th | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2003 | Czech Republic | WJC | 6th | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2003 | Czech Republic | WC | 4th | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Czech Republic | WJC | 4th | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2013 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2014 | Czech Republic | WC | 4th | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | |
| Junior totals | 39 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 24 | ||||
| Senior totals | 27 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 16 | ||||
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Winner of theLady Byng Memorial Trophy 2015 | Succeeded by |