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.

Contents

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 TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1978–79 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 2011112212—————
1979–80 Kitchener Rangers OMJHL 19391235—————
1979–80 Kingston Canadians OMJHL433017473630220
1980–81 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 54264—————
1980–81 Wichita Wind CHL 702129502071116726
1981–82 Wichita WindCHL6035468179—————
1981–82 Edmonton Oilers NHL 40000—————
1981–82 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL113478—————
1982–83 Toronto Maple LeafsNHL722831597143140
1983–84 Toronto Maple LeafsNHL3811142548—————
1984–85 St. Catharines Saints AHL 8571210—————
1984–85 Toronto Maple LeafsNHL325152026—————
1985–86 St. Catharines SaintsAHL3728275552—————
1985–86 Toronto Maple LeafsNHL331222342594154
1986–87 New York Rangers NHL754047874960008
1987–88 New York RangersNHL7738508876—————
1988–89 Quebec Nordiques NHL72383775107—————
1989–90 Utica Devils AHL21230—————
1989–90 New Jersey Devils NHL334101428—————
1990–91 New Jersey DevilsNHL14461010—————
1991–92 New Jersey DevilsNHL71236—————
1992–93 EC Bad Nauheim DEU II 4435417614995152015
1993–94 HC Fassa ITA 923519—————
1993–94EC Bad Nauheim DEU III 37404686115—————
1994–95 Worcester IceCats AHL34761362—————
NHL totals4681842384224541972912

Roller hockey

   Regular season   Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1994 Las Vegas Flash RHI 1921264732
1995 Orlando Rollergators RHI107101712
RHI totals2928366444

Coaching

   
SeasonTeamLeagueTypeGPWLTOTLPctResult
1994–95Orlando RollergatorsRHIHead Coach23716000.304
1995–96 Daytona Beach Breakers SHL Head Coach603320700.608Lost in round 1
1996–97 Anchorage Aces WCHL Head Coach644118050.68Lost in finals
1997–98Anchorage AcesWCHLHead Coach643620080.625Lost in round 2
1998–99Anchorage AcesWCHLHead Coach714622030.669Lost in round 2
1999–00Anchorage AcesWCHLHead Coach‡563021050.58
2000–01Anchorage AcesWCHLHead Coach722741040.403
2001–02Anchorage AcesWCHLHead Coach‡40926050.287Lost in round 1

‡ - Midseason Replacement

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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. 1 2 "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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