Steve Ludzik

Stephen Paul Ludzik (born April 3, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach who has worked as a television analyst for The Score television network. He played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres between 1981 and 1990. He later coached the Tampa Bay Lightning between 1999 and 2001, and also spent several years coaching in the minor leagues.

Steve Ludzik
Born (1961-04-03) April 3, 1961
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Chicago Blackhawks
Buffalo Sabres
EK Zell am See
NHL Draft 28th overall, 1980
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 19811993

Biography

As a youth, Ludzik played in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Toronto.[1]

He had a distinguished junior career with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey League, amassing 125 goals and 233 assists, for a total of 358 points. This broke the career point total record for the Flyers, which still stands today. He was subsequently named to the Flyers' All-Time Five Man All-Star Team.

He was drafted 28th overall by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. After one more year of junior hockey, Ludzik turned pro in 1981–82. He split that season between the Black Hawks and the American Hockey League's New Brunswick Hawks. The next season, he became a Black Hawk regular.

Ludzik played with the Black Hawks until the 1988–89 season. Except for 11 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 1989–90, he spent the rest of his playing career in the minors. He played in a total of 424 NHL games and scored 46 goals and 93 assists.

Coaching

After retiring as a player, Ludzik turned to coaching, starting in the IHL with the Muskegon Fury and then the Detroit Vipers, where he won the 1996–97 Turner Cup with General Manager Rick Dudley. He then spent two years as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, but was let go after the 2000–01 season. He subsequently went to the OHL as head coach of the Mississauga IceDogs, and then to the AHL, where he ended his coaching career in 2004–05 with the San Antonio Rampage.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1977–78 Markham Waxers OJPHL 3130205015
1978–79 Niagara Falls Flyers OMJHL 68326597138 207172448
1979–80 Niagara Falls Flyers OMJHL 674376119102 10661216
1980–81 Niagara Falls Flyers OHL 585092142108 12591440
1981–82 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 82132
1981–82 New Brunswick Hawks AHL 73214162142 1537106
1982–83 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 666192563 1335820
1983–84 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 809202973 40119
1984–85 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 7911203186 1511216
1985–86 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 49651121 300012
1986–87 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 525121734 40000
1987–88 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 736152140 501113
1988–89 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 61018
1988–89 Saginaw Hawks IHL 65215778129 601116
1989–90 Buffalo Sabres NHL 110116
1989–90 Rochester Americans AHL 5425295471 16561157
1990–91 Rochester Americans AHL 65222951137 83586
1991–92 Rochester Americans AHL 456222888 142138
1992–93 EK Zell am See AUT 5117365364
NHL totals 4244693139333 44481270

NHL coaching career

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTOTLPtsDivision rankResult
Tampa Bay Lightning 1999–00 8219479754 4th in SoutheastMissed Playoffs
Tampa Bay Lightning 2000–01 3912205229 5th in Southeastfired
Total 1233167149

Other leagues

TeamYearLeagueRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishWLWin%Result
Muskegon Fury 1993–94 CoHL 643524575 2nd in West 03.000Lost in Quarterfinals
Muskegon Fury 1994–95CoHL 744227589 2nd in West 106.625Lost in Colonial Cup Final
Detroit Vipers 1996–97 IHL 8257178122 1st in North 156.714Won Turner Cup
Detroit Vipers1997–98IHL 82472015109 1st in Northeast 149.609Lost in Turner Cup Final
Detroit Vipers 1998–99IHL 82502111111 1st in Northeast 65.545Lost in Semifinals
Mississauga IceDogs 2002–03 OHL 68233111360 4th in Central14.200Lost in Conference Quarterfinals
San Antonio Rampage 2003–04 AHL 1283117 Named Florida Panthers assistant coach
San Antonio Rampage 2004–05 AHL 802745862 6th in WestMissed playoffs

Broadcasting and publishing

Since coaching, Ludzik has been a hockey pundit on television, most notably on The Score Television Network. He also co-authored a book, entitled "Been There, Done That".

Parkinson's disease

Ludzik came public in 2012 that he has Parkinson's disease and was diagnosed in 2000.[2]

References

  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  2. Cory Smith, QMI Agency. "Former NHLer opens up about battle with Parkinson's". Toronto Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
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