# Poul Popiel

Poul Peter Popiel (born February 28, 1943) is a Danish-American former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA), and also served as a head coach in the minor leagues. Following a brief 12 games in the International Hockey League (IHL) with the Muskegon Mohawks, he retired and became the head coach. Popiel and Garry Peters were co-winners of the inaugural Ken McKenzie Trophy as Central Professional Hockey League rookies of the year in 1963-64. His younger brother Jan Popiel is also a former professional hockey player.
Popiel was the first Danish-born player in the National Hockey League. Popiel's family moved to Canada in 1951 when he was a child, and subsequently moved to the United States and he acquired American citizenship before making his NHL debut.

## Awards

* Ken McKenzie Trophy
* Played in WHA All-Star Game (1974, 1975, 1977)

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1960–61 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA-Jr. | 38 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 74 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1961–62 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA-Jr. | 49 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 128 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1962–63 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA-Jr. | 50 | 11 | 34 | 45 | 131 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–63 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–64 | St. Louis Braves | CPHL | 54 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 78 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| 1963–64 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 48 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 76 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 |
| 1965–66 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 63 | 6 | 26 | 32 | 101 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1965–66 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 63 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 134 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1967–68 | Springfield Kings | AHL | 72 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 180 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1967–68 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1968–69 | Springfield Kings | AHL | 13 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 62 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 22 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 32 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970–71 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 78 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 61 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 12 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 38 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 73 | 16 | 48 | 64 | 158 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 23 |
| 1973–74 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 78 | 7 | 41 | 48 | 126 | 14 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 22 |
| 1974–75 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 78 | 11 | 53 | 64 | 123 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 34 |
| 1975–76 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 78 | 10 | 36 | 46 | 71 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 |
| 1976–77 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 80 | 12 | 56 | 68 | 87 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1977–78 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 80 | 6 | 31 | 37 | 53 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 1978–79 | Innsbrucker EV | AUT | 34 | 6 | 28 | 34 | 99 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Houston Apollos | CHL | 57 | 2 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1981–82 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 12 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 299 | 36 | 122 | 158 | 540 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 45 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 224 | 13 | 41 | 54 | 212 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| WHA totals | WHA totals | WHA totals | 467 | 62 | 265 | 327 | 618 | 71 | 7 | 47 | 54 | 118 |

### Coaching statistics

| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | W% |
| 1981–82 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 55 | 24 | 30 | 0.445 |