106 Ron Shudra

Defenceman Ron Shudra spent 19 continuous seasons in British ice hockey winning five league championship, six play-off medals and three All-Star ratings.

In 1990 he joined Solihull of the British League’s premier division. Barons’ financial problems led to Ron dropping two levels, becoming a founder member of Sheffield Steelers in the English League.

On 5 October 1991, as captain, he scored their first league goal in a 13-2 victory at Sunderland. Soon the Steelers ‘fans dubbed him ‘Rocket Ron’ for his bullet slap-shot from the point. Winning promotion to the Premier Division in his first full season with Sheffield, his 24 play-off points 12 months later took Steelers to their first Wembley final. A year later he collected his first double league and play-off final medals, contributing 76 points (30+46). By late spring 1996 the medals total rose to five with a repeat of the previous campaign plus a Benson &Hedges; Cup triumph.

With the advent of the Superleague next season came a third successive British play-off triumph, as he scored the game-winning-goal, skippering Steelers to the British Championship at Manchester. A knee injury requiring surgery kept Shudra off the ice for a good part of 1998/99. Soon after the season ended he was upset to be dismissed during a two minute phone call after eight years as a Steeler.

Signing for Hull of the BNL enabled him to continue to live with his family in Sheffield. As Thunder’s top scorer with 26+46 he impressed with his professional attitude in adapting after life in the import dominated Superleague. The League awarded him an All-Star rating and ‘Defenceman of the Year.’ Twelve months on he accepted a role in the back office of Steelers’ whilst briefly assisting Edinburgh. His ice time back in the Superleague increased. He netted Sheffield’s GTG in the play-off semi-final 3-2 victory over London on 30 March 2002 to collect his fourth championship medal next day.

Ambitious Coventry came calling; so Ron again moved to the BNL. Utilising his brain and a well honed poke-check helped Blaze to the league title He also scored the game winner in the 2-1 second leg play-off final against Cardiff. In May 2003 he returned for the third time and tenth winter to Steelers as player and their first Junior development officer. In the next three years he collected a further league and play-off medal plus the 2006 Knock-Out Cup.

For his final three years on the ice he moved a few hundred yards to join Sheffield Scimitars, in their second season in the English Premier League. Appointed captain he was named to the All-Star ‘A’ team by journalists. A year later, although Scimitars slipped from second to fifth Ron retained an All-Star rating at ‘B’. Taking over a player-coach he guided his young team into the play-off quarter-finals before hanging up the blades, aged 41. He now assists in coaching the under 12s.

Ronald James Shudra was born on 28/11/1967 at Winnipeg, Manitoba. He turned pro in 1987 with Nova Scotia of the AHL. For Edmonton Oilers that season he contributed five assists in a ten game stint in the NHL.

Martin C. Harris | April 2010