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Walt Poddubny

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Walt Poddubny
Born (1960-02-14)February 14, 1960
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Died March 21, 2009(2009-03-21) (aged 49)
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Edmonton Oilers
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
Quebec Nordiques
New Jersey Devils
NHL draft 90th overall, 1980
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 1980–1995

Walter Michael Poddubny (February 14, 1960 – March 21, 2009) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and coach who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1981–82 until 1991–92. He played 468 career NHL games, scoring 184 goals and 238 assists for 422 points.

Career

Poddubny was drafted 90th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.[1] He spent most of the 1981–82 season with the Wichita Wind where he had 35 goals and 46 assists in 60 games. He was traded along with Phil Drouillard from the Oilers to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Laurie Boschman on March 8, 1982.[2]

He was acquired by the New York Rangers from the Maple Leafs for Mike Allison on August 18, 1986,[3] in a trade considered to be Phil Esposito's best during his three years as the team's general manager.[4] Poddubny was the leading scorer in each of his only two Rangers campaigns, with 87 points (40 goals, 47 assists) in 1986–87 and 88 (38 goals, 50 assists) the following season.[5][6] He was the recipient of the New York Rangers Fan Club's Frank Boucher Trophy for the most popular player on and off the ice in both years, and the team's Most Valuable Player Award from the Professional Hockey Writers Association in 1987.[7]

Despite coming off a season as the Rangers' top scorer, he was traded along with Jari Grönstrand, Bruce Bell and a fourth-round selection in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft (76th overall–Éric Dubois) to the Quebec Nordiques for Normand Rochefort and Jason Lafreniere on August 1, 1988. Esposito felt the team needed to improve its defense after losing 17 games by one goal and missing the playoffs. He was also disappointed with Poddubny's failure to win face-offs, while head coach Michel Bergeron expressed displeasure with the quality of his checking game.[8][9] Following a productive season in 1988–89 with the Nordiques that saw Poddubny score 38 goals in 72 games played,[10] his playing career began to decline from damaged knees.[11]

After his lone season with the Nordiques, Poddubny was sent to the New Jersey Devils for Claude Loiselle and Joe Cirella on June 17, 1989.[12]

After his career in the NHL, Poddubny coached several hockey teams including six seasons as head coach of the Anchorage Aces. Life after the NHL wasn't easy for him, and he once said, "People think if you played in the NHL, you're set for life. It's not like that for everyone."[11]

Poddubny died of a heart attack at the age of 49, after collapsing at his sister's house in Thunder Bay.[13][14]

Career statistics

Ice hockey

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1978–79 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 20 11 11 22 12 — — — — —
1979–80 Kitchener Rangers OMJHL 19 3 9 12 35 — — — — —
1979–80 Kingston Canadians OMJHL 43 30 17 47 36 3 0 2 2 0
1980–81 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 5 4 2 6 4 — — — — —
1980–81 Wichita Wind CHL 70 21 29 50 207 11 1 6 7 26
1981–82 Wichita Wind CHL 60 35 46 81 79 — — — — —
1981–82 Edmonton Oilers NHL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1981–82 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 11 3 4 7 8 — — — — —
1982–83 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 72 28 31 59 71 4 3 1 4 0
1983–84 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 38 11 14 25 48 — — — — —
1984–85 St. Catharines Saints AHL 8 5 7 12 10 — — — — —
1984–85 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 32 5 15 20 26 — — — — —
1985–86 St. Catharines Saints AHL 37 28 27 55 52 — — — — —
1985–86 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 33 12 22 34 25 9 4 1 5 4
1986–87 New York Rangers NHL 75 40 47 87 49 6 0 0 0 8
1987–88 New York Rangers NHL 77 38 50 88 76 — — — — —
1988–89 Quebec Nordiques NHL 72 38 37 75 107 — — — — —
1989–90 Utica Devils AHL 2 1 2 3 0 — — — — —
1989–90 New Jersey Devils NHL 33 4 10 14 28 — — — — —
1990–91 New Jersey Devils NHL 14 4 6 10 10 — — — — —
1991–92 New Jersey Devils NHL 7 1 2 3 6 — — — — —
1992–93 EC Bad Nauheim DEU II 44 35 41 76 149 9 5 15 20 15
1993–94 HC Fassa ITA 9 2 3 5 19 — — — — —
1993–94 EC Bad Nauheim DEU III 37 40 46 86 115 — — — — —
1994–95 Worcester IceCats AHL 34 7 6 13 62 — — — — —
NHL totals 468 184 238 422 454 19 7 2 9 12

Roller hockey

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994 Las Vegas Flash RHI 19 21 26 47 32
1995 Orlando Rollergators RHI 10 7 10 17 12
RHI totals 29 28 36 64 44

Coaching

     
Season Team League Type GP W L T OTL Pct Result
1994–95 Orlando Rollergators RHI Head Coach 23 7 16 0 0 0.304
1995–96 Daytona Beach Breakers SHL Head Coach 60 33 20 7 0 0.608 Lost in round 1
1996–97 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach 64 41 18 0 5 0.68 Lost in finals
1997–98 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach 64 36 20 0 8 0.625 Lost in round 2
1998–99 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach 71 46 22 0 3 0.669 Lost in round 2
1999–00 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach‡ 56 30 21 0 5 0.58
2000–01 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach 72 27 41 0 4 0.403
2001–02 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach‡ 40 9 26 0 5 0.287 Lost in round 1

‡ - Midseason Replacement

References

  1. ^ 1980 NHL Entry Draft — The Internet Hockey Database.
  2. ^ "Maple Leafs' center Laurie Boschman is bound for the...," United Press International (UPI), Tuesday, March 9, 1982. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  3. ^ "The New York Rangers Monday traded center Mike Allison...," United Press International (UPI), Monday, August 18, 1986. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Kreiser, John & Friedman, Lou. The New York Rangers: Broadway's Longest-Running Hit. Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing, 1996.
  5. ^ 1986–87 New York Rangers (NHL) – The Internet Hockey Database.
  6. ^ 1987–88 New York Rangers (NHL) – The Internet Hockey Database.
  7. ^ New York Rangers 2000–2001 Media Guide.
  8. ^ Rogers, Thomas. "N.H.L.: Poddubny Traded to the Nordiques," The New York Times, Tuesday, August 2, 1988. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  9. ^ 1989 NHL Entry Draft Pick Transactions, June 17 – Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "Walt Poddubny". ahockeydb.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "A man who lived for the game that left him behind". The Globe and Mail. March 23, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  12. ^ "Devils Add Poddubny in One of 3 Trades," The Associated Press (AP), Sunday, June 18, 1989. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  13. ^ "Former NHL player Walt Poddubny dies". Associated Press. March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
  14. ^ "Former NHLer Poddubny dies suddenly". The Canadian Press. March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
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