Rick Jodzio
Richard Jodzio | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 3, 1954 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Professional ice hockey player (retired), Business owner |
| Known for | Playing in the NHL and WHA as left winger; infamous 1976 playoff incident |
Richard Joseph Jodzio (born June 3, 1954, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a left winger. His career included stints in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Barons, as well as in the World Hockey Association (WHA) representing the Vancouver Blazers and Calgary Cowboys.
Throughout his NHL tenure, Jodzio participated in 70 games, recording two goals, eight assists, and accumulating 71 penalty minutes. In the WHA, he played 137 games, contributing 15 goals and 16 assists, while amassing 357 penalty minutes.
With a background in boxing, Jodzio became infamous for an incident on April 11, 1976, during a playoff match in Quebec City, where he struck Quebec Nordiques star Marc Tardif with his hockey stick. The forceful crosscheck rendered Tardif unconscious, resulting in Jodzio's suspension for the remainder of the playoffs and assault charges filed by Quebec authorities. He admitted guilt and was fined $3,000. Subsequently, Tardif has extended forgiveness to him.
Currently, Jodzio owns Frontline Freight, a less-than-truckload transportation company headquartered in City of Industry, California.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1972–73 | Downsview Beavers | OPJAHL | 21 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Downsview Beavers | OPJAHL | 30 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 166 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA | 30 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Charlotte Checkers | SHL | 37 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 109 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1974–75 | Vancouver Blazers | WHA | 44 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 159 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 24 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 47 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 137 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ||
| 1976–77 | Tidewater Sharks | SHL | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 46 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Erie Blades | NAHL | 15 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 32 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 21 | ||
| 1977–78 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 32 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Cleveland Barons | NHL | 38 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Oklahoma City Stars | CHL | 62 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 117 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | New Brunswick Hawks | AHL | 79 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 113 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 43 | ||
| WHA totals | 137 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 357 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ||||
| NHL totals | 70 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||