IRVINE, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks were ready for Radko Gudas when he returned to Orange County with his new team on Saturday.
The veteran defenseman walked into the visitor’s locker room at Anaheim’s practice facility with his Florida Panther teammates and quickly saw his skate laces were wound tightly together. Then he noticed the cup of water teetering inside his helmet.
“Just the little things that make it a little more fun,” Gudas said with a smile. “I’m pretty sure I know who did it too.”
Gudas didn’t reveal any suspects, but likely had a better idea after visiting with several of his former teammates before the Ducks host the Panthers on Sunday in their home opener at Honda Center (8 p.m. ET; Prime Video, KCOP-13, SCRIPPS, TVAS).
Gudas spent three years in Anaheim, long enough to be named captain last season and then helping the Ducks advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018.
The Ducks won a Western Conference First Round series in six games against the Edmonton Oilers in April before losing a six-game series to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round.
Gudas, 36, signed a six-year contract with the Panthers on July 1, returning to a team he played for from 2020-23.
Three games into the season, he’s back in Anaheim.
“Definitely a bit strange,” Gudas said. “I had the orange on a couple months ago.”
Gudas arrived in Anaheim three seasons ago and joined a starting defensive unit that included 19-year-old Pavel Mintyukov, 21-year-old Jamie Drysdale and 22-year-old Jackson LaCombe.
Drysdale was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Cutter Gauthier midway through that season, but Mintyukov and LaCombe seem to have benefited from Gudas’ presence, signing long-term contract extensions.
“He meant so much to all of us here the last three years he was here, especially us younger guys that got to learn from him and really treated us well,” LaCombe said. “It’ll be fun to see him out there (on Sunday), and I think we’ll all be pretty competitive too.”
Gudas was primarily paired with LaCombe his first season, and LaCombe credits Gudas with helping reel in the offensive-minded defenseman.
“There’s a time and a place in the game where you want to play offense, or take chances to do things, but he was so good at managing the game and knowing the right times and always being so positive with you, wanting the best for you,” LaCombe said. “A guy like that’s rare, for sure.”
Gudas has drawn League-wide attention during his 15-year NHL career for his physical style of play.
He’s been suspended five times by the NHL, most recently five games for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews on March 12, resulting in a season-ending knee injury to the seven-time All Star.
“He’s hit some guys that the camera’s been on him,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “But, 90 percent, 95 percent of his game, he’s just a good veteran defenseman that reads the play really well.”
Ducks coach Joel Quenneville, who coached Gudas for parts of two seasons in Florida and again last year with the Ducks, said Gudas couldn’t be more different off the ice.
“He’s on the edge and he’s raw and he’s one of those guys you want on the team,” Quenneville said. “Away from the game, he’s got a beautiful family, beautiful kids, beautiful wife. He’s in the community, the kids play sports, they’re involved in all kinds of activities. They’re really a big part of the community. Now they’re back in Florida and I’m sure they’re enjoying where they’re at.”
Quenneville said the Ducks don’t need to be aware of Gudas on Sunday any more than the other physical players around the League, but LaCombe said he’ll have his antenna up.
“On our side of things, you have to keep your head up and be careful when he’s out there. He knows how to hit really well, ” LaCombe said. “For us, we just want to play fast and try to get around him a little bit, but he’s a good defenseman, so it’s tough.”
Gudas said captaining the Ducks last season was one of the top honors of his career and he expects Anaheim to be a contender for years to come.
“They’re a young, talented team, quick,” he said. “They have all the right tools early in their careers, so they’re a very exciting team to watch and an exciting team to play against.”