The next captain of the Anaheim Ducks is Radko Gudas.
The team announced Thursday, the day training camp for the 2024-25 season kicks off, that Gudas (34) will wear the “C” in Anaheim, becoming the ninth captain in franchise history.
Ducks’ next captain will have big shoes to fill
He will be the first player to captain the Ducks since Ryan Getzlaf’s retirement. Getzlaf was the longest-term captain in the team’s history, wearing the “C” for 12 years from 2010-11 through 2021-22.
Gudas will join a list of Ducks captains that includes Troy Loney, Randy Ladouceur, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne, Steve Rucchin, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, and Getzlaf.
Gudas signed a three-year, $12 million contract on July 1, 2023. His impact on the ice and in the dressing room was felt immediately and rippled throughout the organization and fanbase.
Gudas was selected in the third round (66th overall in 2010) by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before signing with the Ducks, Gudas played 682 NHL games for the Lighting, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Florida Panthers.
He’s played on teams with likely future Hall of Fame captains like Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, Alexander Ovechkin, and Aleksander Barkov.
Both Ducks head coach Greg Cronin and general manager Pat Verbeek expressed their desire to name a captain ahead of the 2024-25 season.
“I think we need to have a captain (next season),” Cronin said during his exit interview in April. “We need to fin a leadership group that can hold teammates accountable.”
“It’s certainly something we’re exploring and discussing actively right now,” Verbeek said during his exit interview. “Over the last two years, I think I’ve got a really good handle on how the room’s working and who the voices are.”
The organization seems to have found their voice they hope will lead the team out of their elongated rebuild and start their climb toward contention.
Gudas will be entering his 12th season as a full-time NHL defenseman in 2024-25.
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