| Rick Jodzio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 3, 1954 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) |
| Position | Left Wing |
| Shoots | Left |
| Played for | Cleveland Barons (NHL) Colorado Rockies (NHL) Calgary Cowboys (WHA) Vancouver Blazers (WHA) |
| NHL Draft | 153rd overall, 1974 Buffalo Sabres |
| Playing career | 1974–1980 |
Rick Jodzio (born Richard Joseph Jodzio on June 3, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger.
He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Rockies and the Cleveland Barons; additionally, he played in the World Hockey Association with the Vancouver Blazers and the Calgary Cowboys.
Playing Career[]
In his NHL career, Rick appeared in 70 games. He scored two goals and added eight assists while collecting 71 minutes in penalties.
He played in 137 WHA games, scoring 15 goals and adding 16 assists with 357 minutes in penalties.
On April 11, 1976 (in one of the most infamous moments of organized hockey) Rick (while playing for the Calgary Cowboys of the WHA) attacked Quebec Nordiques star Marc Tardif with his hockey stick during a game in Quebec City.
His hit caused permanent brain damage for Tardif and according to several witnesses, Rick hit Tardif repeatedly as Tardif lay helpless on the ice, but it is still disputed exactly how the fight occurred. Due to the incident, Rick was suspended for the remainder of the 1975-76 season.
After the Buffalo Sabres sold Rick's NHL rights to the Colorado Rockies, he switched leagues.
He played 32 games for the Rockies before he was traded to the Cleveland Barons on January 9, 1978 in a four-player deal involving NHL veterans Chuck Arnason, Ralph Klassen and Fred Ahern.
Rick scored his only two NHL goals with Cleveland and then played two more years in the minors before retiring in 1980.
Post-Playing Career[]
Currently, Rick is the owner of Frontline Freight, a Less Than Truckload carrier based out of Industry, California.