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+ | [[File:Juha_Widing.jpg|right|120px]] |
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− | '''Juha Markku "Whitey, Flying Finn" Widing''' (July 4, 1947 in Oulu, Finland – December 30, 1984 in Kelowna, British Columbia) was a professional ice hockey centre who was the third Finnish-born player to play in the National Hockey League. Widing played in the National Hockey League for eight seasons, mostly with the Los Angeles Kings. |
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+ | '''Juha Markku "Whitey" Widing''' |
||
+ | *Born: July 4, 1947 in [[Oulu]], [[Finland]] |
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+ | *Hometown: [[Grums]], [[Sweden]] |
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+ | *Died: December 30, 1984 in [[Kelowna]], [[British Columbia]] |
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+ | *Position: Center |
||
== Playing career== |
== 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." |
||
+ | 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." |
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− | 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. |
+ | However by 1976–77 his productivity had dropped considerably, and he was traded to the [[Cleveland Barons (NHL)|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. |
==Career Statistics== |
==Career Statistics== |
||
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" width="100%" border="1" |
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" width="100%" border="1" |
||
− | |- |
+ | |- bgcolor="purple" align="center" <font style="color:gold;" |
! ALIGN="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
! ALIGN="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
||
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
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Line 14: | Line 20: | ||
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | |
||
! ALIGN="center" colspan="5" | Playoffs |
! ALIGN="center" colspan="5" | Playoffs |
||
− | |- |
+ | |- bgcolor="purple" align="center" <font style="color:gold;" |
! ALIGN="center" | Season |
! ALIGN="center" | Season |
||
! ALIGN="center" | Team |
! ALIGN="center" | Team |
||
Line 28: | Line 34: | ||
! ALIGN="center" | Pts |
! ALIGN="center" | Pts |
||
! ALIGN="center" | PIM |
! ALIGN="center" | PIM |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | 1963-64 |
||
+ | | [[Goteborgs AIS]] |
||
+ | | [[Swedish Division 2|Sweden4]] |
||
+ | | 18 |
||
+ | | 12 |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
+ | | |
||
|- ALIGN="center" |
|- ALIGN="center" |
||
| 1964-65 |
| 1964-65 |
||
Line 46: | Line 66: | ||
| [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |
| [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |
||
| [[Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League|SJHL]] |
| [[Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League|SJHL]] |
||
− | | 50 |
||
− | | 67 |
||
| 54 |
| 54 |
||
− | | |
+ | | 62 |
− | | |
+ | | 54 |
+ | | 116 |
||
+ | | 35 |
||
| 11 |
| 11 |
||
| 8 |
| 8 |
||
Line 57: | Line 77: | ||
| 4 |
| 4 |
||
|- ALIGN="center" |
|- ALIGN="center" |
||
− | | 1966-67 |
+ | | rowspan="2"|1966-67 |
| [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |
| [[Brandon Wheat Kings]] |
||
| [[Manitoba Junior Hockey League|MJHL]] |
| [[Manitoba Junior Hockey League|MJHL]] |
||
Line 71: | Line 91: | ||
| 6 |
| 6 |
||
|- ALIGN="center" |
|- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[Port Arthur Marrs]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1969-70 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|[[Memorial Cup]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | [[New York Rangers|NYR]]/[[Los Angeles Kings|LA]] |
||
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|-- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|-- |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|-- |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|-- |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|-- |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|5 |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|2 |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|2 |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|4 |
− | | |
+ | | bgcolor="#FFC0CB"|4 |
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1967-68 |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |
||
+ | | [[Omaha Knights]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1970–71 |
||
+ | | [[Central Professional Hockey League|CPHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 62 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 27 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 78 |
||
+ | | 33 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 25 |
||
+ | | 60 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 40 |
||
+ | | 19 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 65 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 24 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1968-69 |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[Omaha Knights]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1971-72 |
||
+ | | [[Central Hockey League (1963-1984)|CHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 72 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 41 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 78 |
||
+ | | 39 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 27 |
||
+ | | 80 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 28 |
||
+ | | 58 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 55 |
||
+ | | 7 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 26 |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | 4 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | 6 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | rowspan="2"|1969-70 |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |
||
+ | | [[New York Rangers]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1972-73 |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 44 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 7 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 77 |
||
+ | | 7 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 16 |
||
+ | | 14 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 54 |
||
+ | | 10 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 70 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 30 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1973-74 |
||
+ | | 4 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 71 |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 27 |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 30 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 57 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 26 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 5 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 0 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1970-71 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 2 |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1974-75 |
||
+ | | 78 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 25 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 40 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 80 |
||
+ | | 65 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 24 |
||
+ | | 24 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 36 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 60 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 46 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 3 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 0 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1971-72 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 0 |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1975-76 |
||
+ | | 78 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | Los Angeles Kings |
||
+ | | 27 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 28 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 67 |
||
+ | | 55 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 7 |
||
+ | | 26 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 15 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 22 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 26 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1972-73 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1976-77 |
||
+ | | 77 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | LA/[[Cleveland Barons|CLE]] |
||
+ | | 16 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | NHL |
||
+ | | 54 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 76 |
||
+ | | 70 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 9 |
||
+ | | 30 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 16 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 25 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 18 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1973-74 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 1977-78 |
||
+ | | 71 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | [[Edmonton Oilers]] |
||
+ | | 27 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | [[World Hockey Association|WHA]] |
||
+ | | 30 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 71 |
||
+ | | 57 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 18 |
||
+ | | 26 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 24 |
||
+ | | 5 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 42 |
||
+ | | 1 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | 8 |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | 1 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" |
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
+ | | 1974-75 |
||
− | | ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
− | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
+ | | 80 |
||
+ | | 26 |
||
+ | | 34 |
||
+ | | 60 |
||
+ | | 46 |
||
+ | | 3 |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
+ | | 2 |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | 1975-76 |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
+ | | 67 |
||
+ | | 7 |
||
+ | | 15 |
||
+ | | 22 |
||
+ | | 26 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | rowspan="3"|1976-77 |
||
+ | | [[Sweden]] |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|[[Canada Cup]] |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|5 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|1 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|1 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|2 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|0 |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|-- |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|-- |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|-- |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|-- |
||
+ | | bgcolor="FFD700"|-- |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[Los Angeles Kings]] |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
+ | | 47 |
||
+ | | 3 |
||
+ | | 8 |
||
+ | | 11 |
||
+ | | 8 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | [[Cleveland Barons]] |
||
+ | | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] |
||
+ | | 29 |
||
+ | | 6 |
||
+ | | 8 |
||
+ | | 14 |
||
+ | | 10 |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | | -- |
||
+ | |- ALIGN="center" |
||
+ | | 1977-78 |
||
+ | | [[Edmonton Oilers]] |
||
+ | | [[World Hockey Association|WHA]] |
||
+ | | 71 |
||
+ | | 18 |
||
+ | | 24 |
||
+ | | 42 |
||
+ | | 8 |
||
+ | | 5 |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
+ | | 1 |
||
+ | | 1 |
||
+ | | 0 |
||
+ | |- bgcolor="purple" align="center" <font style="color:gold;" |
||
! colspan="3" | WHA Totals |
! colspan="3" | WHA Totals |
||
+ | ! 71 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 71 |
||
+ | ! 18 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 18 |
||
+ | ! 24 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 24 |
||
+ | ! 42 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 42 |
||
+ | ! 8 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 8 |
||
+ | ! 5 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | ! 0 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | ! 1 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | ! 1 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
+ | ! 0 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | -- |
||
− | |- |
+ | |- bgcolor="purple" align="center" <font style="color:gold;" |
! colspan="3" | NHL Totals |
! colspan="3" | NHL Totals |
||
− | ! |
+ | ! 575 |
− | ! |
+ | ! 144 |
− | ! |
+ | ! 226 |
− | ! |
+ | ! 370 |
− | ! |
+ | ! 208 |
+ | ! 8 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 8 |
||
+ | ! 1 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 1 |
||
+ | ! 2 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 2 |
||
+ | ! 3 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 3 |
||
+ | ! 2 |
||
− | ! ALIGN="center" | 2 |
||
|} |
|} |
||
+ | |||
+ | == Awards & Achievements == |
||
+ | *Selected to '''SJHL All-Star Game (1966)''', played one token shift because of an injury |
||
+ | *'''MJHL''' [[MJHL Single Season Record|League Record]] '''Most Goals (1967)''' |
||
+ | *'''MJHL''' [[MJHL Single Season Record|League Record]] '''Most Assists (1967)''' |
||
+ | *'''MJHL''' [[MJHL Single Season Record|League Record]] '''Most Points (1967)''' |
||
+ | *'''MJHL''' [[MJHL All-Star Teams|Second All-Star Team]] '''(1967)''' |
||
+ | *'''CHL Second All-Star Team (1969)''' |
||
+ | *Played for '''Sweden''' in [[Canada Cup]] '''(1976)''' |
||
==Career Moves== |
==Career Moves== |
||
Line 227: | Line 336: | ||
*Signed as a free agent by Edmonton (WHA), June, 1978. |
*Signed as a free agent by Edmonton (WHA), June, 1978. |
||
*Traded to Indianapolis (WHA) by Edmonton (WHA) for [[Bill Goldsworthy]], June, 1978. |
*Traded to Indianapolis (WHA) by Edmonton (WHA) for [[Bill Goldsworthy]], June, 1978. |
||
− | |||
− | == Awards & Achievements == |
||
− | *[[MJHL Single Season Record|MJHL Record]] '''Most Goals 70 (1967)''' |
||
− | *[[MJHL Single Season Record|MJHL Record]] '''Most Assists 74 (1967)''' |
||
− | *[[MJHL Single Season Record|MJHL Record]] '''Most Points 144 (1967)''' |
||
− | *[[MJHL All-Star Teams|MJHL Second All-Star Team]] '''(1967)''' |
||
− | *[[Central Hockey League (1963–84)|CHL Second All-Star Team]] '''(1969)''' |
||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
Line 243: | Line 345: | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Widing, Juha}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Widing, Juha}} |
||
[[Category:Born in 1947]] |
[[Category:Born in 1947]] |
||
− | [[Category:Finnish hockey players]] |
+ | [[Category:Finnish ice hockey players]] |
− | [[Category:Swedish hockey players]] |
+ | [[Category:Swedish ice hockey players]] |
− | [[Category:Brandon Wheat Kings (SJHL |
+ | [[Category:Brandon Wheat Kings (SJHL) players]] |
+ | [[Category:Brandon Wheat Kings (MJHL) players]] |
||
[[Category:New York Rangers players]] |
[[Category:New York Rangers players]] |
||
[[Category:Los Angeles Kings players]] |
[[Category:Los Angeles Kings players]] |
||
− | [[Category:Cleveland Barons (NHL) |
+ | [[Category:Cleveland Barons (NHL) players]] |
[[Category:Edmonton Oilers players]] |
[[Category:Edmonton Oilers players]] |
||
[[Category:Dead in 1984]] |
[[Category:Dead in 1984]] |
||
[[Category:Manitoba junior hockey All-Time Roster]] |
[[Category:Manitoba junior hockey All-Time Roster]] |
||
+ | [[Category:Retired in 1978]] |
||
+ | [[Category:Port Arthur Marrs players]] |
||
+ | [[Category:Omaha Knights (CHL) players]] |
Latest revision as of 00:02, 19 April 2017
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.
Career Statistics
Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1963-64 | Goteborgs AIS | Sweden4 | 18 | 12 | ||||||||||
1964-65 | Brandon Wheat Kings | SJHL | 45 | 23 | 15 | 38 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | ||
1965-66 | Brandon Wheat Kings | SJHL | 54 | 62 | 54 | 116 | 35 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 4 | ||
1966-67 | Brandon Wheat Kings | MJHL | 43 | 70 | 74 | 144 | 64 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 6 | ||
Port Arthur Marrs | Memorial Cup | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |||
1967-68 | Omaha Knights | CPHL | 62 | 27 | 33 | 60 | 19 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
1968-69 | Omaha Knights | CHL | 72 | 41 | 39 | 80 | 58 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | ||
1969-70 | New York Rangers | NHL | 44 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
1970-71 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 25 | 40 | 65 | 24 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
1971-72 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 27 | 28 | 55 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
1972-73 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 77 | 16 | 54 | 70 | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
1973-74 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 71 | 27 | 30 | 57 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
1974-75 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 26 | 34 | 60 | 46 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
1975-76 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 67 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
1976-77 | Sweden | Canada Cup | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 47 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
Cleveland Barons | NHL | 29 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
1977-78 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 71 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
WHA Totals | 71 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||
NHL Totals | 575 | 144 | 226 | 370 | 208 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
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.
External links
This article is part of the Swedish hockey portal. |
This article is part of the Finnish hockey portal |