Leo Gudas

Leo Gudas (born May 20, 1965) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman.

Gudas began his playing career in 1981 with TJ PS Stadion Liberec in the second-tier 1st. Czech National Hockey League before joining HC Sparta Praha of the top-tier Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League in 1983.

He moved to HK Dukla Trenčín in 1986 for one season before returning to Sparta Praha.

In 1990, Gudas was drafted into the National Hockey League, selected 251st overall by the Calgary Flames in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

Gudas though never signed with the Flames, nor did he ever play in North America.

Instead, he moved to Finland and signed for JYP Jyväskylä in the SM-liiga.

After two seasons, he moved to Germany's Eishockey-Bundesliga and signed for Hedos München before returning to Sparta Praha for a third spell, in the newly created Czech Extraliga, founded following the peaceful separation of Czechoslovakia.

Gudas later had spells in Switzerland's National League for EHC Biel and in Norway's GET-ligaen for the Spektrum Flyers before returning to the Czech Extraliga once more in 1995, signing for HC Kometa Brno.

In 1996, Gudas moved to Sweden with IF Troja-Ljungby in the Hockeyettan before returning to Germany in 1998 for the Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the successor league to the Bundesliga he played in six years prior.

He followed up with spell in the 2nd Bundesliga for Heilbronner EC and in the Czech 1.liga for HC Berounští Medvědi before ending his playing career in 2003.

Gudas worked as an assistant coach for HC Sparta Praha and Piráti Chomutov before becoming head coach for SK Kadaň.

He also worked as head coach for HC Most, ŠHK 37 Piešťany and SC Csíkszereda.

Gudas is the father of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas.

He is also the father-in-law of goaltender Michal Neuvirth, following Neuvirth's marriage to Gudas' daughter, Karolina.