Jiří Dudáček

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Jiří Dudáček (born April 4, 1962) is a former professional ice hockey right wing. He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, making him the first Czechoslovak player to be selected in the first round of a National Hockey League draft. Dudáček was a star for the Czechoslovak team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in 1980 and 1981, and was considered by many NHL scouts to be the top junior prospect in the 1981 draft class.[1]

Jiří Dudáček
Born (1962-04-04) April 4, 1962 (age 62)
Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Left
Played for HK Kralupy nad Vltavou (Czech-3)
ETC Crimmitschau (Ger-3
HC Kladno (CSK)
HC Dukla Jihlava (CSK)
National team  Czechoslovakia
NHL draft 17th overall, 1981
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1978–1991
1994–1995
1999–2000

As Czechoslovakia was a Communist country at the time of Dudáček's drafting, bringing him to North America was a difficult proposition for the Sabres organization. Dudáček's father was also a high-ranking Communist party member.

While other teams helped Czechoslovak players sneak out of their homeland to come to the NHL, Sabres general manager Scotty Bowman attempted to convince Czechoslovak officials to legally allow Dudáček to come to Buffalo. All efforts were declined by the Czechoslovak sports authorities, though, claiming Dudáček was "too young" to leave the country.[1][2]

Playing career

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Dudáček played for the Czechoslovak national ice hockey team in the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cups. He was among Czechoslovakia's leading scorers in 1981, tallying four goals and two assists in six games.[3] In 1984, he went scoreless in four games.[4]

Dudáček never made it to North America to play for the Sabres organization. Instead, he spent his career playing for HC Kladno and HC Jihlava in the Czechoslovak Extraliga, until his retirement in 1991.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1978–79 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 4 0 0 0 2
1979–80 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 41 18 13 31 6
1980–81 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 32 12 14 26 8
1981–82 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 36 13 19 32 18
1982–83 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 23 9 6 15 12
1983–84 ASD Dukla Jihlava TCH 39 14 4 18 10
1984–85 ASD Dukla Jihlava TCH 42 13 13 26 36
1985–86 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 28 12 10 22 28
1986–87 Poldi SONP Kladno CZE II 24 19 20 39 9 6 8 9 17 4
1987–88 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 39 23 28 51 33
1988–89 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 34 13 19 32 22
1989–90 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 53 11 17 28 54
1990–91 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 43 11 14 25 24
1991–92 Épinal Écureuils FRA I / FRA II 21 20 24 44 4
1994–95 ETC Crimmitschau DEU III 3 1 1 2 0
1999–2000 HK Kralupy nad Vltavou CZE III 4 0 0 0 8
TCH totals 414 149 157 306 253

International

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Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1979 Czechoslovakia EJC
1980 Czechoslovakia EJC 5 7 1 8 6
1980 Czechoslovakia WJC 5 0 0 0 2
1981 Czechoslovakia WJC 4 2 1 3 0
1981 Czechoslovakia CC 6 4 2 6 4
1982 Czechoslovakia WJC 7 5 5 10 2
1984 Czechoslovakia CC 3 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 21 14 7 21 10
Senior totals 9 4 2 6 4

References

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Preceded by Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick
1981
Succeeded by