Jiří Dudáček, Date of Birth, Place of Birth

Jiří Dudáček

Czech ice hockey player

Date of Birth: 04-Apr-1962

Place of Birth: Kladno, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic

Profession: ice hockey player

Nationality: Czech Republic

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Jirí Dudácek (born April 4, 1962) is a former professional ice hockey right wing.
He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, making him the first Czechoslovak player to be selected in the first round of a National Hockey League draft.
Dudácek was a star for the Czechoslovak team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in 1980 and 1981, and was considered by many NHL scouts to be the top junior prospect in the 1981 draft class.As Czechoslovakia was a Communist country at the time of Dudácek's drafting, bringing him to North America was a difficult proposition for the Sabres organization.
Dudácek's father was also a high-ranking Communist party member. While other teams helped Czechoslovak players sneak out of their homeland to come to the NHL, Sabres general manager Scotty Bowman attempted to convince Czechoslovak officials to legally allow Dudácek to come to Buffalo.
All efforts were declined by the Czechoslovak sports authorities, though, claiming Dudácek was "too young" to leave the country.