'Really Quality Person' Gudas Ready to Lead the Ducks as Captain

After two seasons without a captain in Anaheim, the Ducks have officially selected their next leader of the flock in veteran defenseman Radko Gudas.

Tabbed as the ninth captain in franchise history, and the first since the retirement of franchise icon Ryan Getzlaf following the 2021-22 season, Gudas will become the focal point of a leadership grouped geared at helping along Anaheim's core of young talent and pushing the club back towards playoff contention come the spring.

"It's a tremendous honor to be named captain of the franchise," Gudas said in front of his locker stall at Great Park Ice. "I'm really thrilled the guys think of me this way and I'm happy to have been named [captain], but we have a pretty great group of leaders in this locker room, so I'm looking forward to leading in a group environment."

"I've known Radko for a long time," said GM Pat Verbeek, who was part of the Tampa Bay Lightning management crew under Steve Yzerman that selected Gudas in the third round of the 2010 NHL Draft. "Radko plays with emotion. He's an emotional leader. We're a young team and I thought that was important for our team. One of the great things about Radko is it doesn't matter what team he plays for, his teammates love him. And I think that is an incredible asset to have as a leader.

Signed to a three-year contract last July, Gudas quickly earned the respect of his teammates and coaches throughout his first season in Orange County, both with his trademark tenacity on the ice and his less heralded humility and empathy off of it.

"He's one of those guys that I've always admired how hard he plays the game," winger Troy Terry said. "There are a few guys in the league that you're very aware when they're out there and he's one of them, because he plays so hard. We've got a young team and I think he represents what we're trying to build here on the ice. But off the ice, getting to know him as a person, as a dad, he's as good as it gets from top to bottom. We're all happy for him."

"He's just a really quality person off the ice," head coach Greg Cronin added. "You look at his family, his children and his wife, they way he is as a father. I see him interact with his kids. He's just a great dad. You see him on videos and I saw the recent one with his daughter.

"You want somebody like that representing the organization. It's not just about our team, it's about a spokesperson for the organization."

Gudas' relentless physicality and passion are the hallmarks of his game, leading to a team-high 232 hits last season, 128 penalty minutes and +14 rating in his first campaign as a Duck. And for both Verbeek and Cronin alike, that mentality is the perfect embodiment of their vision for a successful Ducks rebuild.

"Pat and I talked about how our team has to have this relentless mentality," Cronin said. "I think what player better personifies that than Radko?

"I obviously coached against him for a number of years and he has this image where he is just this ferocious player...I knew within my first conversation on the phone with him that he was a good guy and has a good value system. He is totally invested. He's a professional."

"I think a lot of his leadership comes with the way he approaches the game," said Gudas' two-time teammate Alex Killorn, now entering his 13th NHL season. "He plays intensly and it seems like every night he plays the same way. He doesn't take nights off and he's a voice in the locker room. All of those things combined make him a great leader."

Gudas also becomes one of just a handful of Czech players to captain an NHL team, and the first since Colorado's Milan Hejduk more than a decade ago.

"It's a great, great honor," Gudas admitted with a smile. "I got a few texts from the guys and I spoke with some yesterday too. It's a cool moment for me to get that and be a part of a pretty special group. I'm really happy to get to this point."

While the club's alternate captains have yet to be named and could rotate throughout the season, Gudas stressed the team will still take a group leadership approach with several voices able to speak up when needed - regardless of who is wearing the C on gameday.

"We all lead together and that's not going to change. I'm going to be the best version of myself to help the team win and represent the organization the best I can."