The Anaheim Ducks named veteran defenseman Radko Gudas as their captain Thursday, their first since franchise star Ryan Getzlaf retired after the 2021-22 season.
Gudas, 34, becomes the ninth captain in the Ducks’ history, joining standouts such as Getzlaf, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Paul Kariya. Troy Loney was their captain in their inaugural 1993-94 season. Teemu Selanne, Randy Ladouceur and Steve Rucchin also wore the “C” for the club.
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It’s a watershed moment for Gudas, a native of Czechia known for his hard-hitting game over his 12 NHL seasons. It also represents an evolution for a player who crossed the line earlier in his career with multiple suspensions for undisciplined actions. He has totaled 971 career penalty minutes but has stayed on the right side of the line in recent seasons.
“I am honored to be named captain of the Anaheim Ducks and lead our team into an exciting era,” Gudas said in a statement released by the team. “The trust put in me by (GM) Pat (Verbeek), our management, coaches and my teammates is something I take with pride. Leadership is a shared quality amongst our team, and I look forward to representing the Ducks on the ice and also outside of the rink in the community.”
We're proud to announce Radko Gudas as the ninth captain in Ducks history!
MORE ➡️ https://t.co/yzbA7D2gwC pic.twitter.com/NjNeDXAdAc
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 19, 2024
Gudas has played in 784 games with Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Washington, Florida and Anaheim. The bearded defender signed a three-year contract with the Ducks after reaching the 2023 Stanley Cup Final with the Panthers.
Why was Gudas the choice for the Ducks?
Second-year head coach Greg Cronin implored his veterans to take more ownership of the club during the 2023-24 season, and general manager Pat Verbeek agreed that it was time to have a captain after leaving the role vacant for two seasons. Cam Fowler, Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg were the regular alternate captains during that time. No one, however, replaced the huge presence of Getzlaf.
Teams often point out that multiple players can hold a dressing room accountable, but during its last two disappointing seasons, Anaheim has shown it needs a singular respected leader, someone the rest of the players can follow and support. It took only one season for Gudas to earn that.
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Gudas is an excellent communicator who gives maximum effort on the ice and still has the defensive game to play a huge role. He was terrific for the Ducks in his first season and — especially with Fowler as part of trade talks — can particularly set the example for the Ducks’ young core of up-and-coming defensemen.
There were strong hints that the Ducks would lean in this direction, as Gudas represented the team in Las Vegas for the NHL’s preseason media tour and threw out the first pitch at a recent Los Angeles Angels home game. And it looks as though he’s at least a good transitional choice until they feel either Mason McTavish or Leo Carlsson is ready to be their next longtime captain.
(Photo: Jaylynn Nash / Getty Images)
