Albert Pudas

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


team=
played_for = NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs
league = NHL
position = Winger (ice hockey)
shoots =
height_ft =
height_in =
weight_lb =
nickname =
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1899|02|17
birth_place = Siikajoki, FIN
draft =
draft_year =
draft_team =
career_start = 1926
career_end = 1928

Juho Albert Pudas (originally Putaansuu) (b. February 17, 1899 in Siikajoki, Finland – October 28, 1976 in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada) was a Finnish-Canadian hockey player and coach. He was the first Finnish-born hockey player in the National Hockey League and possibly in North America. Following his hockey career Pudas was active in the capacity of referee.

Pudas received his Canadian citizenship at the young age of 18 months. He began his hockey career in Port Arthur, Ontario with the Pascoes, Ports, and later, the Port Arthur Bearcats. On October 28, 1926, Pudas accepted a contract offer from the Toronto St. Pats, the Toronto Maple Leafs minor-league affiliate, along with fellow Bearcats Bill Brydge, Danny Cox and Lorne Chabot. Pudas was recalled December 29, 1926, by the Maple Leafs to play a pair of games against Boston and Montreal. These games made Pudas officially the first Finnish-born player to play in the NHL.

In 1936 Pudas coached the Port Arthur Bearcats who represented Canada in the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Canada won a silver medal with Pudas as coach (the only medal Canada won at these games).

External links

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* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14056 Albert Pudas page on Legends of Hockey]