Steve Ludzik (born April 3, 1961 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired former professional ice hockey player and coach who currently works as a television analyst for The Score television network. He played all but eleven of his 424 career NHL games for the Chicago Blackhawks, and also briefly played for the Buffalo Sabres. After his retirement he coached the Muskegon Fury, Detroit Vipers, Mississauga IceDogs, San Antonio Rampage and Tampa Bay Lightning. Ludzik played junior for the Niagara Falls Flyers in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
He was drafted 28th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. After one more year of junior hockey, Ludzik turned pro in 1981-82. He split that season between the Blackhawks and the American Hockey League's New Brunswick Hawks. The next season he became a Blackhawk regular.
Ludzik played with the Blackhawks until the 1988-89 season. Except for 11 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 1989-90, he spent the rest of his playing career in the minors. He played in 424 NHL games and scored 46 goals and 93 assists.
He then turned to coaching. Ludzik coached the Muskegon Fury and was named the Colonial Hockey League coach of the year in 1994. He then moved to the Detroit Vipers, coaching them to a Turner Cup championship.
The Tampa Bay Lightning hired him as their coach in 1999 but let him go in 2001. He later coached the Mississauga IceDogs and the San Antonio Rampage.
NHL Coaching Career[]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Division rank | Result | ||
| TB | 1999-00 | 82 | 19 | 47 | 9 | 7 | 58 | 4th in Southeast | Missed Playoffs |
| TB | 2000-01 | 39 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 2 | (59) | 5th in Southeast | (fired) |
| Total | 123 | 31 | 67 | 14 | 9 | ||||
External links[]
| Preceded by Jacques Demers |
Head Coaches of the Tampa Bay Lightning 1999–2001 |
Succeeded by John Tortorella |