Jirí Dudácek
Encyclopedia
Jiří Dudáček 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.
As Czechoslovakia was a Communist
country at the time of Dudáček's drafting, bringing him to North America was a difficult proposition for the Sabre 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.
in the 1981
and 1984
Canada Cup
s. He was among Czechoslovakia's leading scorers in 1981, tallying four goals and two assists in six games. In 1984, he went scoreless in four games.
Dudáček never made it to North America to play for the Sabre organization. Instead, he spent his career playing for HC Kladno
and HC Jihlava
in the Czechoslovak Extraliga
, until his retirement in 1991.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
right wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
. He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
1981 NHL Entry Draft
The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
, making him the first Czechoslovak player to be selected in the first round of a National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
draft. Dudáček was a star for the Czechoslovak team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
in 1980 and 1981, and was considered by many NHL scouts to be the top junior prospect in the 1981 draft class.
As Czechoslovakia was a Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
country at the time of Dudáček's drafting, bringing him to North America was a difficult proposition for the Sabre 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
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
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.
Playing career
Dudáček played for the Czechoslovak national ice hockey teamCzechoslovak national ice hockey team
The Czechoslovak national men's ice hockey team was one of the world's premiere teams during the Soviet dominated international hockey era, often fighting Sweden for second place but sometimes beating the Soviets...
in the 1981
1981 Canada Cup
The 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet...
and 1984
1984 Canada Cup
The 1984 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played during the first three weeks of September 1984. The best-of-three final took place between Canada and Sweden, with Canada winning two games to nil...
Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
s. He was among Czechoslovakia's leading scorers in 1981, tallying four goals and two assists in six games. In 1984, he went scoreless in four games.
Dudáček never made it to North America to play for the Sabre organization. Instead, he spent his career playing for HC Kladno
HC Kladno
Rytíři Kladno is a Czech professional ice hockey team based in the city of Kladno. They are currently a member of the Czech Extraliga, the top flight level of ice hockey in the Czech Republic....
and HC Jihlava
HC Jihlava
HC Dukla Jihlava, founded in 1956, is an ice hockey team in the Czech Republic. It won the Czechoslovak Extraliga title 12 times: six consecutive championships beginning in 1967, then in 1974, four consecutive championships beginning in 1982, and again in 1991. As of 2006, HC Jihlava plays in...
in the Czechoslovak Extraliga
Czechoslovak Extraliga
The Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League was the elite ice hockey league in Czechoslovakia from 1930 until 1993, when the country split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Slovak Extraliga and Czech Extraliga formed from the split.-See also:...
, until his retirement in 1991.
Career statistics
--- Regular Season ---
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------------------------------------------
1980-81 HC Kladno CZE 44 10 18 28
1981-82 - statistics unavailable -
1982-83 - statistics unavailable -
1983-84 - statistics unavailable -
1984-85 - statistics unavailable -
1985-86 - statistics unavailable -
1986-87 - statistics unavailable -
1987-88 HC Kladno CZE 39 23 28 51
1988-89 HC Kladno CZE 53 11 17 28
1989-90 - statistics unavailable -
1990-91 HC Kladno CZE 43 11 14 25
1994-95 ETC Crimmitschau Ger2 3 1 1 2
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