Jiří Dudáček

Jiří Dudáček (born April 4, 1962) is a former professional ice hockey right wing. He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1981 NHL entry draft, making him the first Czechoslovak player to be selected in the first round of a National Hockey League draft. Dudáček was a star for the Czechoslovak team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in 1980 and 1981, and was considered by many NHL scouts to be the top junior prospect in the 1981 draft class.

As Czechoslovakia was a Communist country at the time of Dudáček's drafting, bringing him to North America was a difficult proposition for the Sabres organization. Dudáček's father was also a high-ranking Communist party member.

While other teams helped Czechoslovak players sneak out of their homeland to come to the NHL, Sabres general manager Scotty Bowman attempted to convince Czechoslovak officials to legally allow Dudáček to come to Buffalo. All efforts were declined by the Czechoslovak sports authorities, though, claiming Dudáček was "too young" to leave the country.

Playing career Dudáček played for the Czechoslovak national ice hockey team in the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cups. He was among Czechoslovakia's leading scorers in 1981, tallying four goals and two assists in six games. In 1984, he went scoreless in four games.

Dudáček never made it to North America to play for the Sabres organization. Instead, he spent his career playing for HC Kladno and HC Jihlava in the Czechoslovak Extraliga, until his retirement in 1991.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1978–79 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1979–80 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 41 18 13 31 6 — — — — — 1980–81 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 32 12 14 26 8 — — — — — 1981–82 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 36 13 19 32 18 — — — — — 1982–83 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 23 9 6 15 12 — — — — — 1983–84 ASD Dukla Jihlava TCH 39 14 4 18 10 — — — — — 1984–85 ASD Dukla Jihlava TCH 42 13 13 26 36 — — — — — 1985–86 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 28 12 10 22 28 — — — — — 1986–87 Poldi SONP Kladno CZE II 24 19 20 39 9 6 8 9 17 4 1987–88 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 39 23 28 51 33 — — — — — 1988–89 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 34 13 19 32 22 — — — — — 1989–90 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 53 11 17 28 54 — — — — — 1990–91 Poldi SONP Kladno TCH 43 11 14 25 24 — — — — — 1991–92 Épinal Écureuils FRA I / FRA II 21 20 24 44 4 — — — — — 1994–95 ETC Crimmitschau DEU III 3 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1999–2000 HK Kralupy nad Vltavou CZE III 4 0 0 0 8 — — — — — TCH totals 414 149 157 306 253 — — — — —

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1979 Czechoslovakia EJC 1980 Czechoslovakia EJC 5 7 1 8 6 1980 Czechoslovakia WJC 5 0 0 0 2 1981 Czechoslovakia WJC 4 2 1 3 0 1981 Czechoslovakia CC 6 4 2 6 4 1982 Czechoslovakia WJC 7 5 5 10 2 1984 Czechoslovakia CC 3 0 0 0 0 Junior totals 21 14 7 21 10 Senior totals 9 4 2 6 4