# Rod Buskas

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rod_Buskas
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rod_Buskas.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Buskas
> Source revision: 1351731499
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1961)}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| image = RodBuskas.png
|caption=Buskas in 1983 photo 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|1|7}}
| birth_place = [Wetaskiwin, Alberta](/source/Wetaskiwin%2C_Alberta), Canada
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 206
| position = [Defence](/source/Defenceman)
| shoots = Right
| played_for = [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins)<br>[Vancouver Canucks](/source/Vancouver_Canucks)<br>[Los Angeles Kings](/source/Los_Angeles_Kings)<br>[Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks)
| draft = 112th overall
| draft_year = 1981
| draft_team = [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins)
| career_start = 1981
| career_end = 1995
}}

'''Rod Dale Buskas''' (born January 7, 1961) is a Canadian former professional [ice hockey](/source/ice_hockey) [defenceman](/source/defenceman) who spent 11 seasons in the [National Hockey League](/source/National_Hockey_League). A hard-nosed physical defender, Buskas is best known for his time with the [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins), where he was the club's all-time leader in penalty minutes at the time of his departure in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/MTiRP|website=Stathead|access-date=April 27, 2026|title=For combined seasons, up to 1989-90, playing skater, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the regular season, sorted by descending Penalties in Minutes.}}</ref>

==Early life==
Buskas was born on January 7, 1961, in [Wetaskiwin, Alberta](/source/Wetaskiwin%2C_Alberta), and was raised in [Medicine Hat, Alberta](/source/Medicine_Hat%2C_Alberta).

==Playing career==
Buskas was selected in the 6th round (112th overall) of the [1981 NHL entry draft](/source/1981_NHL_entry_draft) by the Penguins after a solid junior career with the [Medicine Hat Tigers](/source/Medicine_Hat_Tigers). After some seasoning in the minors, he made his NHL debut near the start of the [1982–83](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_NHL_season) season, and finished the year with 4 points and 102 penalty minutes in 41 games.

After another season split between Pittsburgh and the minors, Buskas established himself as a regular for the Penguins in [1984–85](/source/1984%E2%80%9385_NHL_season), and was a fixture on the club's blueline for the next five seasons. In [1986–87](/source/1986%E2%80%9387_NHL_season), he had his best offensive season, finishing the year with 3 goals and 15 assists for 18 points. In [1987–88](/source/1987%E2%80%9388_NHL_season), he led the Penguins with a career-high 206 penalty minutes, and midway through the [1988–89](/source/1988%E2%80%9389_NHL_season) season he broke [Bryan Watson's](/source/Bryan_Watson_(ice_hockey)) club record of 872 penalty minutes. While the Penguins finished consistently near the bottom of the league for most of the 1980s, the maturing of superstar [Mario Lemieux](/source/Mario_Lemieux) finally saw the team reach the playoffs in 1989, and Buskas appeared in the first 10 NHL playoff games of his career.

At the start of the [1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_NHL_season) campaign, Buskas was dealt to the [Vancouver Canucks](/source/Vancouver_Canucks) for a draft pick. However, he appeared in only 17 games for the Canucks before breaking his ankle, requiring surgery. While recovering, he was traded back to Pittsburgh, and he appeared in 6 more games for the Penguins late in the season. He would leave Pittsburgh for good at the start of the [1990–91](/source/1990%E2%80%9391_NHL_season) season, when he was selected by the [Los Angeles Kings](/source/Los_Angeles_Kings) in the [NHL Waiver Draft](/source/1990_NHL_Waiver_Draft). At the time, he was Pittsburgh's all-time leader in penalty minutes with 959, although that record would later be broken by [Troy Loney](/source/Troy_Loney) and is now held by [Kevin Stevens](/source/Kevin_Stevens).

Buskas spent a year in Los Angeles, recording 3 goals and 11 points along with 182 penalty minutes in 57 games, before being dealt to the [Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks) early in the [1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_NHL_season) season. Now a sparingly-used depth defender, he finished the year with 4 assists in 47 games between Los Angeles and Chicago. That season's playoffs would prove to be one of the highlights of his career, as Chicago reached the [Stanley Cup](/source/Stanley_Cup) finals before losing to his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Buskas saw his NHL career come to a close in [1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_NHL_season), as he was assigned to the minors for the first time since 1984 and appeared in only 4 games for the Blackhawks. Released at the end of the season, he spent two more seasons in the [IHL](/source/IHL_(1945-01)) with the [Las Vegas Thunder](/source/Las_Vegas_Thunder) before retiring in 1995. Buskas finished his career with totals of 19 goals and 63 assists for 82 points in 556 career NHL games, along with 1294 penalty minutes.

Following his retirement Buskas, who has obtained a pilot's license during his playing career, remained in the Las Vegas area and ran a flight school in [Henderson](/source/Henderson%2C_Nevada), [Nevada](/source/Nevada). He would also later serve for a time as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Thunder.

Buskas is currently a captain with [Hawaiian Airlines](/source/Hawaiian_Airlines). He currently lives in Las Vegas and has two children: Paulina and Blake. <ref>{{cite web|last1=Malinowski|first1=Mark|title=Getting To Know: Rod Buskas|url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/getting-to-know-rod-buskas| website = The Hockey News|accessdate=April 12, 2017|date=July 12, 2015}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! colspan="5" | [Regular season](/source/Regular_season)
! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! colspan="5" | [Playoffs](/source/Playoffs)
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! [Season](/source/Season_(sports))
! Team
! League
! GP
! [G](/source/Goal_(ice_hockey))
! [A](/source/Assist_(ice_hockey))
! [Pts](/source/Point_(ice_hockey))
! [PIM](/source/Penalty_(ice_hockey))
! GP
! G
! A
! Pts
! PIM
|-
| 1977–78
| [Red Deer Rustlers](/source/Red_Deer_Rustlers)
| [AJHL](/source/Alberta_Junior_Hockey_League)
| 60
| 5
| 2
| 7
| 36
| —
| —
| —
| —
| — 
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1978–79
| Red Deer Rustlers
| AJHL
| 37
| 13
| 22
| 35
| 63
| —
| —
| —
| —
| — 
|-
| [1978–79](/source/1978%E2%80%9379_WHL_season)
| [Billings Bighorns](/source/Billings_Bighorns)
| [WHL](/source/Western_Hockey_League)
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1978–79
| [Medicine Hat Tigers](/source/Medicine_Hat_Tigers)
| WHL
| 34
| 1
| 12
| 13
| 60
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1979–80](/source/1979%E2%80%9380_WHL_season)
| Medicine Hat Tigers
| WHL
| 72
| 7
| 40
| 47
| 284
| 16
| 1
| 6
| 7
| 31
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1980–81](/source/1980%E2%80%9381_WHL_season)
| Medicine Hat Tigers
| WHL
| 72
| 14
| 46
| 60
| 164
| 5
| 1
| 1
| 2
| 8
|-
| [1981–82](/source/1981%E2%80%9382_AHL_season)
| [Erie Blades](/source/Erie_Blades)
| [AHL](/source/American_Hockey_League)
| 69
| 1
| 18
| 19
| 78
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1982–83](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_AHL_season)
| [Baltimore Skipjacks](/source/Baltimore_Skipjacks)
| AHL
| 31
| 2
| 8
| 10
| 45
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1982–83](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_NHL_season)
| [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins)
| [NHL](/source/National_Hockey_League)
| 41
| 2
| 2
| 4
| 102
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1982–83](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_IHL_season)
| [Muskegon Mohawks](/source/Muskegon_Mohawks)
| [IHL](/source/International_Hockey_League_(1945%E2%80%932001))
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 9
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_AHL_season)
| Baltimore Skipjacks
| AHL
| 33
| 2
| 12
| 14
| 100
| 10
| 1
| 3
| 4
| 22
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 47
| 2
| 4
| 6
| 60
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1984–85](/source/1984%E2%80%9385_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 69
| 2
| 7
| 9
| 191
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1985–86](/source/1985%E2%80%9386_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 72
| 2
| 7
| 9
| 159
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1986–87](/source/1986%E2%80%9387_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 68
| 3
| 15
| 18
| 123
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1987–88](/source/1987%E2%80%9388_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 76
| 4
| 8
| 12
| 206
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| [1988–89](/source/1988%E2%80%9389_NHL_season)
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 52
| 1
| 5
| 6
| 105
| 10
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 23
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_NHL_season)
| [Vancouver Canucks](/source/Vancouver_Canucks)
| NHL
| 17
| 0
| 3
| 3
| 36
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1989–90
| Pittsburgh Penguins
| NHL
| 6
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 13
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1990–91](/source/1990%E2%80%9391_NHL_season)
| [Los Angeles Kings](/source/Los_Angeles_Kings)
| NHL
| 57
| 3
| 8
| 11
| 182
| 2
| 0
| 2
| 2
| 22
|-
| [1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_NHL_season)
| Los Angeles Kings
| NHL
| 5
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 11
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1991–92
| [Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks)
| NHL
| 42
| 0
| 4
| 4
| 80
| 6
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 0
|-
| [1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_NHL_season)
| Chicago Blackhawks
| NHL
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 26
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_IHL_season)
| [Indianapolis Ice](/source/Indianapolis_Ice)
| IHL
| 15
| 0
| 3
| 3
| 40
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1992–93
| [Salt Lake Golden Eagles](/source/Salt_Lake_Golden_Eagles)
| IHL
| 31
| 0
| 2
| 2
| 52
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1993–94](/source/1993%E2%80%9394_IHL_season)
| [Las Vegas Thunder](/source/Las_Vegas_Thunder)
| IHL
| 69
| 2
| 9
| 11
| 131
| 5
| 0
| 2
| 2
| 2
|-
| [1994–95](/source/1994%E2%80%9395_IHL_season)
| Las Vegas Thunder
| IHL
| 27
| 2
| 3
| 5
| 53
| 10
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 19
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" |AHL totals
!113
!5
!38
!43
!223
!10
!1
!3
!4
!22
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals
! 556
! 19
! 63
! 82
! 1294
! 18
! 0
! 3
! 3
! 45
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" |IHL totals
!143
!4
!17
!21
!285
!15
!1
!2
!3
!21
|}

==Transactions==
*On June 10, 1981 the [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins) drafted Rod Buskas in the sixth-round (#112 overall) of the [1981 NHL draft](/source/1981_NHL_Entry_Draft).
*On October 24, 1989 the [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins) traded Rod Buskas to the [Vancouver Canucks](/source/Vancouver_Canucks) in exchange for a [1990 sixth-round pick](/source/1990_NHL_Entry_Draft) (#107-[Ian Moran](/source/Ian_Moran)).
*On January 8, 1990 the [Vancouver Canucks](/source/Vancouver_Canucks) traded Rod Buskas, [Tony Tanti](/source/Tony_Tanti) and [Barry Pederson](/source/Barry_Pederson) to the [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins) in exchange for [Dan Quinn](/source/Dan_Quinn_(ice_hockey)), [Andrew McBain](/source/Andrew_McBain) and [Dave Capuano](/source/Dave_Capuano).
*On October 1, 1990 the [Los Angeles Kings](/source/Los_Angeles_Kings) claimed Rod Buskas from the [Pittsburgh Penguins](/source/Pittsburgh_Penguins) in waiver draft.
*On October 28, 1991 the [Los Angeles Kings](/source/Los_Angeles_Kings) traded Rod Buskas to the [Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks) in exchange for Chris Norton and future considerations.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{icehockeystats|legends=10200}}
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1981/81112.html Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buskas, Rod}}
Category:1961 births
Category:Living people
Category:Baltimore Skipjacks players
Category:Billings Bighorns players
Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Category:Canadian people of Swedish descent
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Category:Erie Blades players
Category:Ice hockey people from Medicine Hat
Category:Indianapolis Ice players
Category:Las Vegas Thunder players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:Medicine Hat Tigers players
Category:Muskegon Mohawks players
Category:People from Wetaskiwin
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Red Deer Rustlers players
Category:Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL) players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rod Buskas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Buskas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Buskas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.