 After playing five seasons with the Western Hockey League's Calgary Wranglers and Medicine Hat Tigers, Houda made his NHL debut with the Red Wings near the end of the 1985–86 season.Houda would be a journeyman throughout his career, playing for the Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in his NHL travels.He also spent a great deal of time in the minor leagues playing for the Kalamazoo Wings and Utah Grizzlies in the IHL, and the Adirondack Red Wings and Rochester Americans with whom he would win the Calder Cup in 1996 in the AHL.