Doug Houda

Douglas Harold Houda (born June 3, 1966) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) defenceman who recently served as assistant coach of the New York Islanders. He was a former assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. He was drafted in the second round, 28th overall, by the Red Wings in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

After playing five seasons with the Western Hockey League's Calgary Wranglers and Medicine Hat Tigers, Houda made his NHL debut with the Red Wings near the end of the 1985–86 season.

Houda was a journeyman throughout his career, playing for the Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in his NHL travels. He also spent a great deal of time in the minor leagues playing for the Kalamazoo Wings and Utah Grizzlies in the IHL, and the Adirondack Red Wings and Rochester Americans with whom he won the Calder Cup in 1996 in the AHL. After returning to Rochester in 1999 and serving as the Amerks captain in his final season, Houda retired after the 2002–03 season and immediately became an assistant coach under Randy Cunneyworth in Rochester.

Coaching career On July 25, 2006, Houda was named an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins. He was relieved of his duties following the 2015–16 season, after 10 seasons with the Bruins. During Houda's 10 seasons with the club, the Bruins compiled a 428–264–94 record, seventh-best in the NHL over that span. Boston's 57 playoff wins over the same duration are fourth-most in the league, trailing only Chicago (76), Detroit (66) and Pittsburgh (66). Houda also spent three seasons as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans from 2003–06. The Amerks compiled a 125–86–16–13 record in the span and held the league's best record in 2004–05 at 51–19–4–6 (112 points).

On May 10, 2016, Houda was named an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings He was relieved of his position following the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season. He spent six years with the Red Wings.

On July 5, 2022, the New York Islanders announced that Doug Houda and Brian Wiseman have been brought on as assistant coaches under Lane Lambert.

On June 29, 2024, the Islanders announced they fired Houda as assistant coach.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1981–82 Calgary Canucks AMHL — — — — — — — — — — 1981–82 Calgary Wranglers WHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1982–83 Calgary Wranglers WHL 71 5 23 28 99 16 1 3 4 44 1983–84 Calgary Wranglers WHL 69 6 30 36 195 4 0 0 0 7 1984–85 Calgary Wranglers WHL 65 20 54 74 182 8 3 4 7 29 1984–85 Kalamazoo Wings IHL — — — — — 7 0 2 2 10 1985–86 Detroit Red Wings NHL 6 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 1985–86 Calgary Wranglers WHL 16 4 10 14 60 — — — — — 1985–86 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 35 9 23 32 80 25 4 19 23 64 1986–87 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 77 6 23 29 142 11 1 8 9 50 1987–88 Detroit Red Wings NHL 11 1 1 2 10 — — — — — 1987–88 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 71 10 32 42 169 11 0 3 3 44 1988–89 Detroit Red Wings NHL 57 2 11 13 67 6 0 1 1 0 1988–89 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 7 0 3 3 8 — — — — — 1989–90 Detroit Red Wings NHL 73 2 9 11 127 — — — — — 1990–91 Detroit Red Wings NHL 22 0 4 4 43 — — — — — 1990–91 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 38 9 17 26 67 — — — — — 1990–91 Hartford Whalers NHL 19 1 2 3 41 6 0 0 0 8 1991–92 Hartford Whalers NHL 56 3 6 9 125 6 0 2 2 13 1992–93 Hartford Whalers NHL 60 2 6 8 167 — — — — — 1993–94 Hartford Whalers NHL 7 0 0 0 23 — — — — — 1993–94 Los Angeles Kings NHL 54 2 6 8 165 — — — — — 1994–95 Buffalo Sabres NHL 28 1 2 3 68 — — — — — 1995–96 Buffalo Sabres NHL 38 1 3 4 52 — — — — — 1995–96 Rochester Americans AHL 21 1 6 7 41 19 3 5 8 30 1996–97 New York Islanders NHL 70 2 8 10 99 — — — — — 1996–97 Utah Grizzlies IHL 3 0 0 0 7 — — — — — 1997–98 New York Islanders NHL 31 1 2 3 47 — — — — — 1997–98 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 24 1 2 3 52 — — — — — 1998–99 Detroit Red Wings NHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 1998–99 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 73 7 21 28 122 3 0 1 1 4 1999–00 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 12 — — — — — 1999–00 Rochester Americans AHL 79 7 17 24 175 21 1 8 9 39 2000–01 Rochester Americans AHL 43 6 20 26 106 4 0 0 0 4 2001–02 Rochester Americans AHL 64 6 22 28 170 2 0 0 0 4 2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2002–03 Rochester Americans AHL 77 3 22 25 191 3 0 2 2 22 NHL totals 561 19 63 82 1104 18 0 3 3 21

Awards WHL East Second All-Star Team – 1985