In 1985-86, he played in his first six NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings. He spent the entire following year in the minors before getting his second crack at the big leagues, playing in eleven more games for Detroit. But it was 1988-89, when he appeared in 57 games, that Houda really got the opportunity to get comfortable in the NHL, and he responded by playing solid defensive hockey while also chipping in with 13 points.

After another year-and-half of bouncing up and down between the NHL and the minors, Houda was sent to the Hartford Whalers where he stayed for a little over two years before moving on to the Los Angeles Kings for 54 games in 1993-94.

Houda joined the Buffalo Sabres in the shortened 1994-95 season and stayed with the club for two years before moving on to the New York Islanders. He also had a short-lived stint in Anaheim before having a second go-round with the Red Wings and the Sabres.

Houda continues to play hockey in the minors with the AHL's Rochester Americans.

Courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame