Born	January 4, 1984 (1984-01-04) (age 25), Olomouc, CS
Height Weight	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 182 lb (83 kg; 13 st 0 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
KHL team F. teams	Dynamo Moscow Detroit Red Wings
NHL Draft	58th overall, 2002 Detroit Red Wings
Pro career	2000 – present

Jiří Hudler (pronounced /ˈjɪriː ˈhʌdlər/ in English; born January 4, 1984 in Olomouc) is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). After beginning his career in the Czech Extraliga with Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Awards and records 3 Career statistics 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Playing career

Hudler spent his youth in the elite Czech Extraliga with HC Vsetín, beginning in 1999–00. After recording a point-per-game season with the club in 2001–02, he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings with their first pick (58th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He remained in the Extraliga the following season, including a brief stint with Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Superleague before moving to North America for the 2003–04 season. Although he competed in 12 games for the Red Wings that season, he played the majority of the campaign with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL), Detroit's minor league affiliate, scoring 49 points in 57 games in his rookie AHL season. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Hudler remained in the AHL the following season while also returning to play with Vsetín for seven games. Although NHL play resumed in 2005–06, 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 in 2006–07 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 the playoffs, often splitting time with Kyle Calder. He chipped in two assists in six games. Former Wings teammate and fellow Czech Robert 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 NHLers Chris Chelios, Mathieu Schneider, and Rob Blake in Southern 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 June 4, 2008, he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Red Wings, scoring 5 goals and added 9 assists during Detroit's successful playoff run, including the game winning goal in Game 4 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He continued to improve in 2008–09, notching 23 goals and 57 points. However, facing the Penguins once again in the 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 with Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for $10 million over two years on July 8, 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 the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) 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 September 9, 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, deeming the arbitration case invalid. Furthermore, the IIHF ruled that USA Hockey had failed to submit their appeal within the stipulated deadlines.^[5]

[edit] Awards and records

• 2005–06 - AHL Second All-Star Team
• 2005–06 - AHL Grand Rapids Griffins team record with 60 assists.
• 2006–07 - Hudler was named "Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year" by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.
• 2007–08 - NHL Stanley Cup (Detroit Red Wings)

[edit] Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999–00	Vsetín	CZE		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Vsetín	CZE		22	1	4	5	10		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Havirov Panthers	CZE		15	5	1	6	12		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Vsetín	CZE		46	15	31	46	54		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Vsetín	CZE		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	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		52	12	22	34	10		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Vsetín	CZE		7	5	2	7	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
NHL totals				255	52	75	127	90		51	9	19	28	24

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Jiri Hudler's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Jiri Hudler - DetroitRedWings.com