Detroit Red Wings: Jiri Hudler Stands Tall

Jiri Hudler is small. He’s listed generously at 5’9” in every NHL media guide, but is probably closer to 5’6”.

Still, while being vertically challenged, Hudler has played a big role for the Detroit Red Wings since joining the club full-time in 2006.

Born in 1984, in the town of Olomouc, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), Hudler became a phenom of sorts when he be suited up for HC Vsetin of the Czech ExtraLeague at the tender age of 15.

Bouncing back and forth between the national junior league as well as the second and third tier pro levels, it was in 2001 when he would earn a starting position with HC Vsetin.

Despite his small physical stature, the 17-year-old had a tremendous rookie campaign, recording 46 points in 46 games.

That summer the Detroit Red Wings used their second round draft pick, selecting him 58th overall.

When Detroit made their selection, members present at the Edmonton Oilers table were seen visibly shaking their heads in frustration. Apparently a few of their scouts were very high on Hudler and wanted to take him with their second round draft choice.

In his next season with the ExtraLeague, Jiri was receiving as much as 30 minutes of ice-time per game. With the extra playing time, along with the obvious confidence of his coach, Hudler was a dominating force racking up 46 points in 30 games.

It was then that his agent, Petr Svoboda, suggested signing with a Russian Elite League team to help further his development.

Things didn’t go so well for Hudler in the RSL. “I went to Kazan and I got injured, that slowed me down," he said. "And we lost in the first round of the playoffs, so it was kind of bad.”

Although Hudler was unable to duplicate his success in the Russian Super League, he felt it was time to make the jump across the pond. In 2003, Jiri made his North American professional debut when he joined the Red Wings AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Since making the move, Hudler’s development has slowly but steadily improved.

In his first pro season he recorded 49 points in 57 games. By his third full season on the farm, he was an AHL All-Star, scoring 36 goals and 60 assists in 76 contests.

In 2006, with the NHL’s waiver rules working to Hudler’s benefit, the Wings made him a full-time NHL player.

Receiving, on average, only ten minutes of ice time per game, he notched 15 goals and 10 assists in 76 games. According to NHL statistics he was the most productive player in the league in relation to playing time.

This past season Hudler received a modest boost in playing time and yet nearly doubled last season’s production with 42 points in 81 games.

His offensive output hasn't slowed in the postseason, where his five points has him tied for the team lead with Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall.

Part of his success comes from his inability to back down. He doesn’t shy away from the hard areas of the ice, and will routinely battle opposing players who are nearly twice his size.

During his first pro camp in 2003, Hudler had the misfortune of being paired against towering, 6’5” defenseman Jiri Fischer in a 1-1 puck battle scenario. When the coaches saw the mismatch they suggested the rookie wait for a partner that was closer to his physical equal. The young forward would have nothing of it and demanded to try his luck against the hulking defender.

According to sources that were present, Hudler held his own in the drill despite giving away nearly a foot in height and 50 lbs in weight.

It’s this tenacity that has allowed Hudler to succeed at every level despite his obvious physical disadvantage.

If the Red Wings are to win the Stanley Cup they’ll need timely contributions from their secondary scoring. With Hudler’s steady rise in confidence and development, it shouldn’t be too tall of an order.