Long-time NHL defenseman Radko Gudas has been potentially linked as a fit to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with him hitting unrestricted free agency on July 1st.
In a tweet by NHL insider Kevin Weekes, he states that the Maple Leafs are one of the team interested in free agent Radko Gudas; the same guy responsible for injuring Auston Matthews:
Per sources, I'm told Captain D Gudas is gaining interest in the marketplace. If him & Ducks can't get a deal done, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are among potential fits. He's physical, experienced, playoff-tested, on a 2-3Yr term between 3.5M-4M+AAV.
Now, Gudas is in the twilight of his career, and him chasing one last payday, albeit nothing substantial, which makes sense for the career journeyman.
The defenseman has always been an incredibly physically imposing player, on top of showing some top leadership qualities, despite being somewhat controversial for the level of physicality in his play.
Weekes says Toronto is among the fits for Gudas if Anaheim cannot extend him
It does make sense for Anaheim to extend Gudas and keep their captain, who just got them to the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
However, this leaking does make sense. This is speculation; however, it would make sense if Gudas' camp here is trying to leak to the media that he has other potential fits if a deal does not get done to try and leverage what he can to get the maximum amount of money possible for his one last true payday.
The report here is that he likely wants a 2-3 year deal, and with the Prague native already being 36, it likely takes him to just about the end of his career with a tiny amount of term if the three-year deal is signed.
Anaheim likely wants to keep their captain here; they also have a lot of cap room with 38 million in cap space, however, with a lot of young players who are either going to be RFAs or extension-eligible.
With other long-time blueliner John Carlson hitting free agency this summer for the Ducks, it makes sense for Anaheim to maintain some veteran presence and leadership on the roster, so it would not be surprising if an extension gets done here.
Gudas is the same player whose hit ended Matthews' season, which makes the link surprising
But safe to say it is a little shocking that Gudas is linked to the Leafs.
Other than injuring beloved Canadian legend Sidney Crosby at the Olympics last winter, he also injured the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and ended his season last year as well.
It was a very contentious point in the organization, while Auston Matthews was down on the ice, no one went after Gudas for causing a dirty knee-on-knee hit that was a grade 3 tear of Matthews MCL.
Bringing that guy into the locker room, while it would increase the toughness and tenacity the locker room has been lacking, it also might create a ton of unneeded friction if not the greatest player in franchise history.
Not to mention, the Leafs already have an aging defence core, adding in a player who is 36 on a short-term deal just does not really fit the timeline of the roster when they need to get younger and faster.
While it is a low-risk deal if it were to get done, not a lot of term or AAV, the fit here just does not make sense for what general manager John Chayka is trying to accomplish.
The Leafs already have an older, slower, bruiser-type defenseman, in Chris Tanev, and they also got guys who just fit the style of system that new Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller would use more effectively.
Where does Radko Gudas play next season?
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