Defenseman of Year Kudla returns to Steelheads

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads, ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced that the club has re-signed defenseman Patrick Kudla to a contract for the 2024-25 season.  

Kudla, 28, enters his seventh professional season, third with Idaho, after being named ECHL Defenseman of the Year and to the All-ECHL First Team ranking fourth amongst league defenders in points (60) and third in assists (50) skating in 60 games last season. He led all Idaho blueliners with 17 multi-point games while finishing second with 15 power-play points. Kudla added 12 points (3g-9a) in 10 Kelly Cup Playoff games last year. He earned two call ups to the American Hockey League last season playing four games with the Syracuse Crunch and two games with the Calgary Wranglers.

The Guelph, Ontario native has accumulated 110 points (18g-9aA) in 119 career games with the Steelheads. Prior to joining the Steelheads, Kudla played his first four pro seasons in Slovakia and Czech Republic. During the 2021-22 season he played 50 games for HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) where he totaled 22 points (4g-18a). In four combined seasons overseas from 2018-22 he accumulated 68 points (16g-52a) in 183 games.

Prior to professional hockey, he spent one season at the University of Guelph during the 2017-18 season recording 12 points (1g-11a) in 20 games. During the 2016-17 campaign he skated for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League leading all Saints blueliners in scoring logging 38 points (8g-30a) in 58 games. He played one season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League where he led all league defenders in scoring producing 66 points (13g-53a) in 50 games with the Oakville Blades en route to being named the league’s Best Defenseman and a First All-Star Team selection.

He was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the sixth round (158th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.