Radko Gudas named captain of the Anaheim Ducks

[91Fedorov]

To be fair, only bad teams have captains that aren't star players. Also, Gudas is definitely the least skilled out of all captains. The only Captains that I would categorize with Gudas would be Foligno and Lowry, and even those two have had more skill/production in their careers. So Gudas is an out of ordinary 'goon' captain....

Anaheim Ducks -- Radko Gudas
Boston Bruins -- Brad Marchand -> All Star = Playoffs
Buffalo Sabres -- No captain
Calgary Flames -- Mikael Backlund
Carolina Hurricanes -- Jordan Staal -> Former All Star = Playoffs
Chicago Blackhawks -- Nick Foligno
Colorado Avalanche -- Gabriel Landeskog (although he's been out last year) > All Star = Playoffs
Columbus Blue Jackets -- Boone Jenner
Dallas Stars -- Jamie Benn -> Former All Star = Playoffs
Detroit Red Wings -- Dylan Larkin -> All Star = Playoffs
Edmonton Oilers -- Connor McDavid -> All Star = Playoffs
Florida Panthers -- Aleksander Barkov -> All Star = Playoffs
Los Angeles Kings -- Anze Kopitar -> All Star = Playoffs
Minnesota Wild -- Jared Spurgeon -> All Star = Playoffs Last Year
Montreal Canadiens -- Nick Suzuki- > All Star
Nashville Predators --Roman Josi -> All Star = Playoffs
New Jersey Devils -- Nico Hischier -> All Star = Playoffs Last Year
New York Islanders -- Anders Lee -> All Star = Playoffs
New York Rangers -- Jacob Trouba -> Former All Star = Playoffs
Ottawa Senators -- Brady Tkachuk -> All Star
Philadelphia Flyers -- Sean Couturier -> Former All Star
Pittsburgh Penguins --Sidney Crosby -> All Star = Playoffs Prior years
San Jose Sharks -- Logan Couture -> Former All Star - Previous Seasons
Seattle Kraken -- No captain
St. Louis Blues -- Brayden Schenn -> Former All Star = Playoffs
Tampa Bay Lightning -- Victor Hedman -> All Star = Playoffs
Toronto Maple Leafs -- Auston Matthews -> All Star = Playoffs
Utah Hockey Club -- No captain
Vancouver Canucks -- Quinn Hughes -> All Star = Playoffs
Vegas Golden Knights -- Mark Stone
Washington Capitals -- Alex Ovechkin -> All Star = Playoffs Prior year
Winnipeg Jets -- Adam Lowry


Anyhow, Gudas isn't here to help us win. He's here to help with culture of competing and hopefully get us out of the bottom 10 shitter in the next 2 years. Maybe we can be playoff caliber by 2028.... But his most important job is to help groom the next captain and leaders.

I think, from that list, Schenn and Trouba have some direct comparable qualities.

 

[LeBrun is a Clown]

I think, from that list, Schenn and Trouba have some direct comparable qualities.

Maybe Lowry too? Always kinda been a physical, sub 30-40 point 3C

 

[MMC]

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/pat-verbeek-greg-cronin-ducks-players-offer-thoughts-on-radko-gudas-captaincy

"It wasn't an easy decision to pick Radko," Verbeek said on Friday. "We had a lot of good candidates, which is a good thing. I think the team is happy with the decision as well. At some point, there has to be a single voice that can take charge in the locker room, and I felt Radko could be that guy."

"I've had a long history with Radko," Verbeek continued. "Steve (Yzerman) and I drafted him in Tampa. Radko plays with emotion. He's an emotional leader. We're a young team, but one of the great things about Radko is it doesn't matter what team he plays for, his teammates love him."


Cronin expressed his desire for a captain at his exit interview in April, like Verbeek, stating the team needed someone who could "hold teammates accountable" and having someone like that could "take that burden off the coaching staff." He also noted when a teammate expresses a message, it has a greater impact.

"Our team needs to have this relentless mentality. What player better personifies that than Radko," Cronin said on Thursday. "He's a really quality person off the ice. You look at his family and the way he handles himself as a father, he's just a great dad. You want somebody like that representing the organization. It's not just about our team; it's about being a spokesperson for the organization."

"He's a ferocious player," Cronin continued. "He's intimidating, he's got the beard, he's got the look that backs up his play. I knew within my (first) conversation on the phone with him he's a good guy and he has a good value system. He's totally invested, he's professional, and he's a really nice person. He's a nice guy."


"Super exciting for this team to choose a captain, and Radko is definitely fitting for the role," Killorn said. "The way he plays, his character, he's a guy that everyone looks to as the leader."

"He's got a lot of life experience," Killorn continued when asked about how he emerged as a natural leader. "He's played in a lot of different places; he's a father. He didn't try to do anything that was out of his realm. That's just who he is."


"I was so happy for him. I spent some time with him last season and got a chance to play with him at worlds," Dostal said with an ear-to-ear smile. "I’m just so happy for him. I always call him 'Dad.' He’s obviously not my dad, but I always joke, 'Hey Dad, what’s up?' Him being a captain for us shows his character. He has an amazing family, and they took me in right away. Last year, I was living with them for almost three weeks so we could get to know each other. He’s an amazing guy, and I’m so happy for him."


"He's the best guy ever," McTavish said of Gudas on Friday at training camp. "Great family, great leader, everybody was super pumped for him. We're all really excited for him, and I think he's the best choice."

 

[AngelDuck]

just the perfect choice. Everyone in that room respects the hell out of him you can tell

 

[Kalv]

Leafs fans confused like "pathetic, the captain needs to be your overpaid soft veteran. You guys are doing it completely wrong"

 

[Hockey Duckie]

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/pat-verbeek-greg-cronin-ducks-players-offer-thoughts-on-radko-gudas-captaincy

"It wasn't an easy decision to pick Radko," Verbeek said on Friday. "We had a lot of good candidates, which is a good thing. I think the team is happy with the decision as well. At some point, there has to be a single voice that can take charge in the locker room, and I felt Radko could be that guy."

"I've had a long history with Radko," Verbeek continued. "Steve (Yzerman) and I drafted him in Tampa. Radko plays with emotion. He's an emotional leader. We're a young team, but one of the great things about Radko is it doesn't matter what team he plays for, his teammates love him."


Cronin expressed his desire for a captain at his exit interview in April, like Verbeek, stating the team needed someone who could "hold teammates accountable" and having someone like that could "take that burden off the coaching staff." He also noted when a teammate expresses a message, it has a greater impact.

"Our team needs to have this relentless mentality. What player better personifies that than Radko," Cronin said on Thursday. "He's a really quality person off the ice. You look at his family and the way he handles himself as a father, he's just a great dad. You want somebody like that representing the organization. It's not just about our team; it's about being a spokesperson for the organization."

"He's a ferocious player," Cronin continued. "He's intimidating, he's got the beard, he's got the look that backs up his play. I knew within my (first) conversation on the phone with him he's a good guy and he has a good value system. He's totally invested, he's professional, and he's a really nice person. He's a nice guy."


"Super exciting for this team to choose a captain, and Radko is definitely fitting for the role," Killorn said. "The way he plays, his character, he's a guy that everyone looks to as the leader."

"He's got a lot of life experience," Killorn continued when asked about how he emerged as a natural leader. "He's played in a lot of different places; he's a father. He didn't try to do anything that was out of his realm. That's just who he is."


"I was so happy for him. I spent some time with him last season and got a chance to play with him at worlds," Dostal said with an ear-to-ear smile. "I’m just so happy for him. I always call him 'Dad.' He’s obviously not my dad, but I always joke, 'Hey Dad, what’s up?' Him being a captain for us shows his character. He has an amazing family, and they took me in right away. Last year, I was living with them for almost three weeks so we could get to know each other. He’s an amazing guy, and I’m so happy for him."


"He's the best guy ever," McTavish said of Gudas on Friday at training camp. "Great family, great leader, everybody was super pumped for him. We're all really excited for him, and I think he's the best choice."

Huge credit to Cronin for making Verbeek change his mind on not having a Captain until a youth proved to deserve it.

 

[Kariya 9]

I hope the As go to two of the kids who are prospects for the C in a few years e.g. Carlsson and Mintyukov or McTavish and Terry.

 

[AngelDuck]

I hope the As go to two of the kids who are prospects for the C in a few years e.g. Carlsson and Mintyukov or McTavish and Terry.

Killorn will be one for sure

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I’m sure they will rotate the A’s as they have in the past.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Fowler lost his bid for captain when he himself said he's not a vocal leader... That's a fking red flag and you don't want someone soft as a captain. Simple as that

 

[Kalv]

Fowler lost his bid for captain when he himself said he's not a vocal leader... That's a fking red flag and you don't want someone soft as a captain. Simple as that

Niedermayer was not vocal and was soft, outside of the elbow to Datsyuk. So i don't think your point stands.

Fowler might be more soft tho, vocally and physically, and I agree to not give him captaincy, albeit I like him as a player

 

[JAHV]

Niedermayer was not vocal and was soft, outside of the elbow to Datsyuk. So i don't think your point stands.

Fowler might be more soft tho, vocally and physically, and I agree to not give him captaincy, albeit I like him as a player

Niedermayer was in no way soft. He didn't lay a bunch of brutal hits like Pronger, but the guy was tenacious in the corners and in front of the net.

We also have no idea what Fowler is like in the locker room. I doubt he's loud, but he's been praised by coaches and players for being a good veteran presence, just not quite captain material.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Niedermayer was in no way soft. He didn't lay a bunch of brutal hits like Pronger, but the guy was tenacious in the corners and in front of the net.

We also have no idea what Fowler is like in the locker room. I doubt he's loud, but he's been praised by coaches and players for being a good veteran presence, just not quite captain material.

Yeah I wouldn't call Niedermayer soft, he also just seemed like a wizard like he knew what the team needed to do to win and come out ahead, how they killed off so many 5 on 3 penalty kills vs Detroit.

His brother Rob on the other hand did some notable hits in the 07 playoffs such as when he and pronger boarded Holmstrom at the same to wreck him, also when Rob hit Jannik Hansen in the head in double OT vs Vancouver that freed up the puck and he passed it to Scotty for the series winning goal. Luongo was trying to get a penalty called on that hit, which led to him being distracted.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

It is sooo weird that people are fantasizing that Fowler is super mad about not being named captain so they can be outraged about it.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Niedermayer was not vocal and was soft, outside of the elbow to Datsyuk. So i don't think your point stands.

Fowler might be more soft tho, vocally and physically, and I agree to not give him captaincy, albeit I like him as a player

Lmaoo..Nieds was a very vocal guy. He was a true leader and called out people when they needed to be called out.

 

[Ducks DVM]

It is sooo weird that people are fantasizing that Fowler is super mad about not being named captain so they can be outraged about it.

Lots of projection this offseason.

The good news is that soon the projection will be in-season.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Lots of projection this offseason.

The good news is that soon the projection will be in-season.

Seriously... Can't wait for the season to start already. Last year I was optimistic... This year I'm going to be more realistic and expect another shit show. All I ask is for improvements in special teams. And a system that works

 

[Ducks DVM]

Seriously... Can't wait for the season to start already. Last year I was optimistic... This year I'm going to be more realistic and expect another shit show. All I ask is for improvements in special teams. And a system that works

I want relative health, a system that utilizes the talent we have not the talent they wish they had, special teams systems that make changes more than every 20 games and have more than 1-2 plays at a time, and proper progression of the young kids.

Johnston (or anyone, really, but there’s not a lot of other options…McGinn?) actually punishing people with hits instead of playing huggy bear would also help the team as well. The team was markedly better when Deslauriers and Beleskey would destroy defensemen and make them wear down and panic/make poor decisions back in the day.

 

[Leonardo87]

Lots of projection this offseason.

The good news is that soon the projection will be in-season.

After dealing with the Trouba hate, this is nothing, lol.