Bob Kudelski

Robert Kudelski (born March 3, 1964, in Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.) is a retired National Hockey League center. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1986 NHL Supplemental Draft.

After playing three seasons at Yale University, where he was an ECAC First All-Star in 1987, Kudelski made his professional debut with the American Hockey League's New Haven Nighthawks in the 1987–88 season. He also made his NHL debut with the Kings that same season, appearing in 26 games and recording one assist. Kudelski led the Nighthawks to the Calder Cup finals the following season, before making the Kings for good in 1989, scoring at least twenty goals in the next three years.

Kudelski was traded to the Ottawa Senators during their inaugural season of 1992–93, and made an immediate scoring impact, finishing only four goals behind Sylvain Turgeon for the team lead despite playing 25 fewer games for the Senators.

The following season his scoring pace was more prolific yet, and was on track to become Ottawa's first fifty-goal scorer, but was dealt midseason to the more defensively-oriented Florida Panthers. He finished that season scoring a career high 40 goals, and was selected to play in the 1994 All Star Game. The Panthers had played fewer games at the time of the trade than the Senators, and in consequence Kudelski tied Jimmy Carson for the NHL record for games played in a single season with 86.

Unfortunately, with the lockout the following season, Kudelski never again managed to recapture his scoring touch. He played just thirteen games in the 1995–96 season, during which he retired. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Panthers Alumni Association.

Awards

 * ECAC First All-Star Team (1987)
 * Played in NHL All-Star Game (1994)

Transactions

 * Traded to Ottawa by Los Angeles with Shawn McCosh for Marc Fortier and Jim Thomson, December 19, 1992.
 * Traded to Florida by Ottawa for Evgeny Davydov, Scott Levins, Florida's 6th round choice (Mike Gaffney) in 1994 NHL Entry Draft, and Dallas' 4th round choice (previously acquired, Ottawa selected Kevin Bolibruck) in 1995 Entry Draft, January 6, 1994.