Jan Popiel (born October 9, 1947) is a Danish-Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 296 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs, Houston Aeros and Phoenix Roadrunners. He is the younger brother of former NHL player Poul Popiel.

Popiel was drafted 10th overall in the 1964 NHL entry draft by the Chicago Black Hawks making him the highest drafted Danish-born player in NHL history until Mikkel Bødker was drafted in 2008 as number 8. Popiel, however, was raised in Canada (his family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario in 1951 when he was a child ) and is a Canadian citizen. Popiel featured in the Avco World Trophy final with the Cougars in the 1974 WHA playoffs and the Aeros in the 1976 WHA playoffs, both resulting in losses.

Popiel also played professional lacrosse, scoring five goals in six games for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Lacrosse Association of 1968.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1966–67St. Catharines Black HawksOHA40520 2546
1968–69Salem RebelsEHL4911294064
1969–70Greensboro GeneralsEHL743237699816881635
1970–71Tulsa OilersCHL6722264883
1971–72Tulsa OilersCHL6324376110913671317
1972–73Chicago CougarsWHA7631346577
1973–74Chicago CougarsWHA632217393618851312
1974–75Chicago CougarsWHA6018224074
1975–76Denver Spurs/Ottawa CivicsWHA20002
1975–76Houston AerosWHA6747115981124
1976–77Phoenix RoadrunnersWHA283258
1976–77Oklahoma City BlazersCHL3223163933
WHA totals296788216025626961516

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from, or