Juha Widing

Juha Markku "Whitey" Widing
 * Born: July 4, 1947 in Oulu, Finland
 * Hometown: Grums, Sweden
 * Died: December 30, 1984 in Kelowna, British Columbia
 * Position: Center

Playing career
Widing was a professional ice hockey centre who was the third Finnish-born player to play in the National Hockey League. Widing, although born in Finland, grew up in Sweden and both his parents were Swedish. In 1964, along with his family, he moved to Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, to play junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings. He played three seasons there, improving his point total each season from 38 to 114 and then finally to 144 in only a 50-game schedule. Widing joined the New York Rangers of the NHL in 1969–70, however after only forty-four games he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings along with Réal Lemieux for Ted Irvine. It was in LA where he developed into a legitimate scoring threat, garnering at least 55 points in five consecutive seasons. It was also in L.A. that Kings' owner Jack Kent Cooke gave him the nickname "Whitey" and instructed his announcers to pronounce his last name as "why-ding" as opposed to the real pronunciation of "vee-ding." He often played on a line with Bob Berry and Mike Corrigan known as "the hot line."

However by 1976–77 his productivity had dropped considerably, and he was traded to the Cleveland Barons. In 1977–78, Widing played for the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association, scoring 42 points in his final professional season. After the season, he was traded to the Indianapolis Racers for Bill Goldsworthy, but he was already finished playing hockey. After retiring, Widing settled in British Columbia. He died on December 30, 1984 from a heart attack, aged 37.

Awards & Achievements

 * Selected to SJHL All-Star Game (1966), played one token shift because of an injury
 * MJHL League Record Most Goals (1967)
 * MJHL League Record Most Assists (1967)
 * MJHL League Record Most Points (1967)
 * MJHL Second All-Star Team (1967)
 * CHL Second All-Star Team (1969)
 * Played for Sweden in Canada Cup (1976)

Career Moves

 * Traded to Los Angeles by NY Rangers with Real Lemieux for Ted Irvine, February 28, 1970.
 * Traded to Cleveland by Los Angeles with Gary Edwards for Jim Moxey and Gary Simmons, January 22, 1977.
 * Signed as a free agent by Edmonton (WHA), June, 1978.
 * Traded to Indianapolis (WHA) by Edmonton (WHA) for Bill Goldsworthy, June, 1978.