Latest On Radko Gudas
- Friedman also reported on Saturday Headlines that injured Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is pushing to play the team’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. Gudas is dealing with a lower-body injury and was sidelined for Anaheim’s last game. His timeline to return is still in question. What isn’t is Gudas’ desire to play against the Maple Leafs, per Friedman. Tomorrow’s contest will be Toronto’s first against the Ducks since Gudas’ highly controversial hit on Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews. Gudas was suspended five games for the play, returning to action March 22.
Anaheim Ducks Reassign Nathan Gaucher
3/29/26: Gaucher has been reassigned back to the AHL, according to the league’s official transactions wire. His NHL debut will have to wait, as he didn’t dress for either of the Ducks’ two games played while he was on their NHL roster.
Though he returns to the AHL without having played in his first NHL game, Gaucher’s recall was not without at least some benefit. He received the pro-rated portion of his NHL salary ($855K) during the recall, a notable albeit brief pay bump. Gaucher’s AHL salary is $82.5K and he did not receive a signing bonus this season, nor is he slated to receive one next league year.
3/25/26: A recent first-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks could be making his NHL debut relatively soon. According to Derek Lee of The Hockey News, the Ducks are expected to recall forward Nathan Gaucher from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, with an official announcement coming later.
Gaucher, 22, has been playing in the Ducks organization for a few years now. Anaheim selected Gaucher with the 22nd overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft after he scored 31 goals and 57 points in 66 games for the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts, with a +30 rating. The 2022-23 campaign was Gaucher’s best at the major junior level, scoring 22 goals and 46 points in 44 games with a +35 rating, with another seven goals and 16 points in 18 postseason contests en route to a Memorial Cup title.
Since then, he has played professionally in the Ducks’ organization, exclusively for the Gulls. Unfortunately, his development, primarily on the offensive side of the puck, has stagnated somewhat. Throughout his three years in the AHL, Gaucher has registered 30 goals and 70 points in 185 games, but has set a new career-high this season.
Given his production in San Diego, it’s somewhat difficult to project Gaucher’s long-term path in the NHL. He’s an aggressive forechecker who isn’t afraid of physicality, with the vision to find his teammates relatively effortlessly. A good comparison would be Martin Pospisil of the Calgary Flames, a strong player who excels at moving the puck in a bottom-six role while averaging over three hits per game.
Radko Gudas, Pavel Mintyukov Out With Injuries
The Anaheim Ducks were playing fairly shorthanded in today’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Ahead of the game, the Ducks announced that defensemen Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov would miss due to lower-body injuries.
The lack of defensive depth showed tonight, but not to a significant degree. The Ducks have typically averaged 28 shots against this season, and allowed 34 shots to the Oilers tonight, who also had three power plays. Anaheim didn’t indicate how long either defenseman was expected to miss with their respective injuries.
Ducks Sign Herman Traff To Entry-Level Contract
The Anaheim Ducks are bringing one of their recent third-round picks to North America. According to a team announcement, the Ducks have signed winger Herman Träff to a three-year, entry-level contract. He’ll join the AHL’s San Diego Gulls on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
Shortly after Anaheim’s announcement, PuckPedia released the contract details of Träff’s entry-level deal:
- 2026-27: $850K salary, $94K signing bonus, $85K minors salary
- 2027-28: $900K salary, $91K signing bonus, $85K minors salary
- 2028-29: $950K salary, $85K signing bonus, $85K minors salary
Although it won’t harm anything to keep a closer eye on Träff in the AHL, it’s a somewhat surprising development. Träff is 20 years old and has managed only 36 games of experience in the SHL. Because of that, especially in a new continent, playing full-time in the AHL will serve as a large step for Träff.
Still, he likely would have earned a look in the SHL next season, regardless. He was dominant this year, scoring 23 goals and 41 points in 51 games for the HockeyAllsvenskan’s IK Oskarshamn. Träff’s last appearance in the SHL came last season with HV71, when he scored three goals and seven points in 25 games as a 19-year-old.
Fortunately, Träff’s season should last a little while longer. The San Diego Gulls are three points up on the Tucson Roadrunners for the final postseason spot in the AHL’s Pacific Division, and have 11 games remaining to increase the gap.
At the very least, even if the Gulls don’t make the postseason this year, Träff will take part in meaningful hockey right away. Still, unless he is particularly dominant down the stretch this season and at next year’s preseason, Träff will likely begin next season with the Gulls and remain there for some time as he continues his development.
Ducks’ Ross Johnston Out Three To Four Weeks
The Ducks will be without enforcer Ross Johnston for the next three to four weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Joel Quenneville announced (via Derek Lee of The Hockey News).
After spending a good chunk of last year in the press box, Johnston has been Anaheim’s primary option in the fourth-line left wing slot, playing in 62 of 67 games. Only one of those absences was due to an illness, although he did sit out of the Ducks’ last three games as a healthy scratch before landing an injury designation. While he’s now been passed on the depth chart by midseason pickup Jeffrey Viel, Johnston has still managed an impressive season in his own right.
Entering the year, the 32-year-old had only topped the 40-game mark twice in nine NHL seasons. Now at his second time over 60 in the last three years, he’s also doubled his previous career-high in points with a 3-11–14 scoring line. The 6’5″, 232-lb lefty has fully retained his mean streak while getting involved in the play a bit more, leading the team with 107 penalty minutes and 192 hits. Averaging 9:45 of ice time per game, his 19.06 hits per 60 rank 16th in the league (min. 20 games).
Anaheim’s final regular-season game is on April 16, one day after the four-week mark handed down today. There’s a chance he’s done for the regular season as a result, but he could also be back as early as April 8 with four games left on the Ducks’ schedule. In any event, with his Ducks the favorite to take home the Pacific Division in what’s been a slog to the finish line for everyone involved, he should be an option to suit up in the first round for the second postseason appearance of his career. In parts of seven seasons with the Islanders before being claimed off waivers by Anaheim in 2023, he only suited up once for them in the playoffs, appearing in five games in the 2020 bubble.
Ducks’ Mason McTavish Scratched, Troy Terry, John Carlson Return
Prior to puck drop tonight in Montreal, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reported that Mason McTavish is a healthy scratch, with Troy Terry returning from injury and John Carlson making his highly anticipated debut.
The center has just two points in his last 12 games, with 32 total on the year in 61 games. In a season defined by the breakout of several young stars in Anaheim, such has not been the case for McTavish. The 2021 third overall pick’s offensive output has stalled out of late, hovering around the 40-50 range, not necessarily glaring but disappointing nonetheless. This season his possession metrics at five-on-five are actually a career best at 52.2%, although the center is starting nearly 59% of his shifts in the offensive zone, a notable uptick from years past.
With his trust slipping under head coach Joel Quenneville, McTavish has lost his role down the middle, dipping below 16 minutes a night for the first time since the beginning stages of his career.
Simple resets like this happen often, and the 23-year-old is likely just in a slump for the time being, but no player making $7MM per year through 2030-31 should be spending time in the press box. After his restricted free agency dragged out into the fall, there was some speculation McTavish could be moving on. That ended in late September as the Ducks locked him up and voiced their beliefs that he would grow into a top player for the franchise.
Even if just for tonight, the Ducks feel like they have the best chance to win and take another step toward the playoffs without the 6’1″ forward in the mix. It’s a headline management would not expect back before the campaign started, but a lot has changed for the Ducks since then.
Meanwhile, Terry is a welcome addition back into the forward group not having played since February 25. The 28-year-old still ranks fifth in team scoring with 45 points in 46 games, particularly impressive considering that his counterparts have skated in as many as 20 more contests.
Finally, with Radko Gudas out as a result of a controversial five-game suspension, Carlson makes his Ducks debut, more news Anaheim fans would find hard to believe just a few months ago. The 36-year-old is debuting alongside Olen Zellweger, wearing a new uniform after 1,143 regular season games with the Capitals. Carlson had been dealing with a lower-body injury, his final game with Washington ending unceremoniously against Nashville on February 5 due to the ailment.
It’s hard to imagine McTavish will be out of the lineup for long, but he’ll need to turn the page soon to avoid any trade speculation this summer. With a top scorer back into the lineup, and an elite defensemen joining the team, there’s much reason to be excited for the weeks ahead and hopefully the center will find his groove accordingly.
Image Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Radko Gudas Receives Five-Game Suspension
After a knee-on-knee collision that ultimately ended Auston Matthews‘ season, supplemental discipline was widely expected for Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. After a phone hearing today, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link) that the blueliner has received a five-game suspension. That is the maximum suspension for a phone hearing.
The incident occurred in the second period of Thursday’s game. The initial call was five-and-a-game for kneeing which was upheld after video review. In the Player Safety ruling, it was noted that Gudas, though trying to make a legal body check, was in full control on the play. That puts the onus on him to deliver a legal check, which he did not do by leading with his knee, resulting in a “forceful, dangerous, and direct knee-on-knee collision.”
This is the fifth suspension for Gudas in his career, but the first since 2019 when he received a five-game ban for high-sticking. As a result of the time between suspensions, he is not considered a repeat offender for the purpose of forfeited salary. He loses five days’ worth of salary (5/192) as opposed to five games’ worth (5/82) of salary. As a result, he will lose $104,166.65, which goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. With these five games, Gudas will now have been suspended for a total of 26 games in his career. It’s the third-longest suspension he has received, following a 10-game ban in 2017 for slashing and a six-game suspension in 2016 for a late high hit.
It’s fair to say that Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver of The-Team (formerly Wasserman), is not a fan of the ruling. Asked for comment by reporters, including Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link), Moldaver released the following statement:
In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am disappointed and shocked the league would allow such a ruling. A phone hearing and 5 games is laughable and preposterous.
While the process is set in our CBA, that this was the discipline is reckless and ridiculous.
This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players.
Players and fans deserve better. The Player Safety Department should be suspended.
Meanwhile, the loss of Gudas is noteworthy for Anaheim. The captain is a regular on their back end, taking a regular turn on the penalty kill. With John Carlson still working his way back from a lower-body injury, the Ducks will have to dip a little deeper into their defensive depth for the time being, heading into a back-to-back road set this weekend.
Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Leaves Game With Injury
Although the Toronto Maple Leafs won against the Anaheim Ducks, they suffered a significant loss this evening. Before the start of the third period, the Maple Leafs announced that captain Auston Matthews had exited the game due to a lower-body injury.
It wasn’t difficult to isolate the injury either. Late in the second period, after getting the puck in front of the net, Ducks’ captain Radko Gudas sprinted at Matthews and delivered a knee-on-knee hit. Gudas was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing on the play and was ejected from the contest.
It’s not always easy to speculate on whether the Department of Player Safety will impose supplemental discipline on a given event. Still, Gudas has a track record of suspensions throughout his career. He was suspended for three games in 2015-16 (check to the head), six games in 2016-17 (check to the head), 10 games in 2017-18 (slashing to the head), and two games in 2018-19 (high-sticking).
Regardless of any extra punishment for Gudas, that won’t do Toronto any justice. The Maple Leafs are already effectively eliminated from postseason contention and may have to finish the 2025-26 campaign on an even worse note. Hopefully, Matthews’ injury isn’t too significant, and he’ll be able to finish the season on a strong note. However, if it is a severe knee injury, there is a possibility that Matthews won’t be able to start his offseason training on time.
Leading up to tonight’s contest against Anaheim, Matthews was having one of the worst offensive seasons of his professional career. He has registered 26 goals and 52 points in 59 games with a -4 rating, averaging 20:56 of ice time per night. Additionally, his possession and defensive metrics have each taken a step back, as well.
John Carlson To Decide On Future With Ducks In One Month
- Lastly, LeBrun suggested that the Anaheim Ducks had little interest in paying the price for defenseman John Carlson as a rental. LeBrun believes that Carlson, his family, and his representation will discuss the transition to Orange County over the last month of the regular season and decide if he’s willing to stay before the playoffs begin. If Carlson extends with the Ducks, it’s believed that it’ll be a two-year contract worth between $8MM and $9MM per season.
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Afternoon Notes: Hutson, Ovechkin, Carlson
The Washington Capitals will be watching closely as top prospect Cole Hutson heads to the Hockey East postseason this weekend. The defenseman could head to Washington as soon as Boston University’s season ends per Chris Cerullo of RMNB. Both team and player have expressed interest in coming together soon, with Capitals general manager Chris Patrick recently mentioning that trade acquisition Timothy Liljegren could be a smart veteran partner for Hutson if he leaves college, “like [the team] hopes”.
Hutson has emerged as a star prospect since joining the Terriers last season. He scored 14 goals and 48 points in 39 games as a freshman, becoming the X-factor addition that drove Boston University to their first National Championship appearance since Jack Eichel‘s great 2014-15 season. Hutson has dwindled to 30 points in 33 games this season, on the back of a struggling Terriers offense as a whole. Those struggles will be their challenge as the playoffs roll around. If and when Hutson moves to the pros, he will rival Rasmus Sandin and Martin Fehervary for minutes on the left-side, and could be the reason one of the veterans moves to the right-side as the team tries to replace John Carlson.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Sticking in Washington, franchise great Alex Ovechkin said that his retirement decision will hinge on how his body feels in an interview with Ian Oland of RMNB. Ovechkin has scored 24 goals and 50 points in 64 games this season, keeping up a tendency for strong scoring into his age-40 season, though he’s dipped from the pace that led him to 44 goals and 73 points in 65 games of his historic 2024-25 season. Ovechkin holds the NHL’s all-time goals record, racking up 921 in 1,555 career games so far. How many he’ll add to those totals seems to be up in the air as he continues to weigh a closely-followed retirement decision.
- Speaking of Carlson, the former Capitals star is hoping to make his debut with the Anaheim Ducks at the end of their current, four-game road trip as he works back from a day-to-day, lower-body injury per Derek Lee of The Hockey News. The Ducks’ road-trip ends with a back-to-back against Ottawa and Montreal on Saturday and Sunday. Anaheim pulled off the surprise of the Trade Deadline in their acquisition of Carlson for conditional-first-round and third-round draft pick. Carlson scored 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals before the trade. He has surpassed the 50-point mark in each of the last two seasons and reached 71 points in 78 games of the 2021-22 season. He should bring a boost of offense to a veteran Ducks blue-line.