Professional Hockey Player. A native of Uleaborg, Sweden, Widing came to Canada as a young man with his parents to play in Brandon, Manitoba, in 1964, when he was invited to attend the teams junior training camp by Jake Milford, the team's General Manager. Although Swedish by nationality, Widing later became the first Finnish-born person to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). At 6'01", and 190lbs, Widing played for the Goteborgs AIS from 1963 to 1964, Brandon Wheat Kings from 1964 to 1967, Port Arthur Marrs from 1966 to 1967, Omaha Knights from 1968 to 1969, New York Rangers from 1969 to 1970, Los Angeles Kings from 1969 to 1976, Sweden from 1976 to 1977, Cleveland Barons from 1976 to 1977, and the Edmonton Oilers from 1977 to 1978, in the NHL, Swede-2, SJHL, CMJHL, M-Cup, CPHL, CHL, Can-Cup, and the WHA hockey leagues. Widing retired from hockey in 1978 and settled on his farm in the Okanagan Valley. In his hockey career he played in 575 games, scored 144 goals, and had 226 assists. Widing was also a member of the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1969. Widing died on December 30, 1984, in Kelowna, British Columbia, at the age of 37, after a lengthy illness.
Professional Hockey Player. A native of Uleaborg, Sweden, Widing came to Canada as a young man with his parents to play in Brandon, Manitoba, in 1964, when he was invited to attend the teams junior training camp by Jake Milford, the team's General Manager. Although Swedish by nationality, Widing later became the first Finnish-born person to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). At 6'01", and 190lbs, Widing played for the Goteborgs AIS from 1963 to 1964, Brandon Wheat Kings from 1964 to 1967, Port Arthur Marrs from 1966 to 1967, Omaha Knights from 1968 to 1969, New York Rangers from 1969 to 1970, Los Angeles Kings from 1969 to 1976, Sweden from 1976 to 1977, Cleveland Barons from 1976 to 1977, and the Edmonton Oilers from 1977 to 1978, in the NHL, Swede-2, SJHL, CMJHL, M-Cup, CPHL, CHL, Can-Cup, and the WHA hockey leagues. Widing retired from hockey in 1978 and settled on his farm in the Okanagan Valley. In his hockey career he played in 575 games, scored 144 goals, and had 226 assists. Widing was also a member of the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1969. Widing died on December 30, 1984, in Kelowna, British Columbia, at the age of 37, after a lengthy illness.
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