Steve Ludzik

Last updated

Steve Ludzik
Born (1961-04-03) April 3, 1961 (age 64)
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

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.

Contents

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 TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1977–78 Markham Waxers OJPHL 3130205015
1978–79 Niagara Falls Flyers OMJHL 68326597138207172448
1979–80 Niagara Falls FlyersOMJHL67437611910210661216
1980–81 Niagara Falls Flyers OHL 58509214210812591440
1981–82 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 82132
1981–82 New Brunswick Hawks AHL 732141621421537106
1982–83 Chicago Black HawksNHL6661925631335820
1983–84 Chicago Black HawksNHL80920297340119
1984–85 Chicago Black HawksNHL79112031861511216
1985–86 Chicago Black HawksNHL49651121300012
1986–87 Chicago BlackhawksNHL52512173440000
1987–88 Chicago BlackhawksNHL736152140501113
1988–89 Chicago BlackhawksNHL61018
1988–89 Saginaw Hawks IHL 65215778129601116
1989–90 Buffalo Sabres NHL110116
1989–90 Rochester Americans AHL542529547116561157
1990–91 Rochester AmericansAHL6522295113783586
1991–92 Rochester AmericansAHL456222888142138
1992–93 EK Zell am See AUT 5117365364
NHL totals424469313933344481270

NHL coaching career

TeamYear Regular season Post season
GWLTOTLPtsDivision rankResult
Tampa Bay Lightning 1999–00 82194797544th in SoutheastMissed Playoffs
Tampa Bay Lightning 2000–01 39122052295th in Southeastfired
Total1233167149

Other leagues

TeamYearLeagueRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishWLWin%Result
Muskegon Fury 1993–94 CoHL 6435245752nd in West03.000Lost in Quarterfinals
Muskegon Fury 1994–95 CoHL7442275892nd in West106.625Lost in Colonial Cup Final
Detroit Vipers 1996–97 IHL 82571781221st in North156.714Won Turner Cup
Detroit Vipers 1997–98 IHL824720151091st in Northeast149.609Lost in Turner Cup Final
Detroit Vipers 1998–99 IHL825021111111st in Northeast65.545Lost in Semifinals
Mississauga IceDogs 2002–03 OHL 682331113604th in Central14.200Lost in Conference Quarterfinals
San Antonio Rampage 2003–04 AHL 1283117Named Florida Panthers assistant coach
San Antonio Rampage 2004–05 AHL8027458626th 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". Ludzik also cohosts a weekend program on CKTB in St Catharines.

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.
Preceded by Head coach of the Muskegon Fury
1993–95
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Detroit Vipers
1996–99
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning
19992001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Mississauga IceDogs
2002–03
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Scott Allen
Scott Allen
Head coach of the San Antonio Rampage
2003
2004–05
Succeeded by
Scott Allen
Pat Conacher