Player Discussion Radko Gudas

[FiveHoleTickler]

For all the flack he gets, I noticed that he leads us in +/- this year at +11

I wish we could shelter him better but I don’t mind having him around at all the next year or so.

Him and Killorn are great role models

He's taken a step back from last year, but he's still effective and brings the edge this team needs on a nightly basis.

Still love him.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

He's taken a step back from last year, but he's still effective and brings the edge this team needs on a nightly basis.

Still love him.

I think Gudas is a huge part of the reason why LaCombe is able to develop that confidence and have free range to race with the puck into the OZone this season. That probably was the plan last year until Drysdale got hurt. Then LaCombe had to bounce around the lineup, flipping sides wherever a defensive hole needed to be plugged, and out of the lineup while Cronin was berating him far too much in LaCombe's rookie season last year.

Sure, Gudas has taken a step back, but he surely made LaCombe take gigantic leaps forward under his wing. LaCombe is even trying to do hip checks too. That's still a work in progress, though.

 

[Dirk316]

Bringing in Trouba definitely helped Gudas as he has backup not being the only physical defenseman

 

[robbieboy3686]

Bringing in Trouba definitely helped Gudas as he has backup not being the only physical defenseman

1000% Trouba has fit like a glove for us

 

[Rybread86]

Bringing in Trouba definitely helped Gudas as he has backup not being the only physical defenseman

Trouba could end up being one of our most underrated trades. Nothing flashy but the way he carries himself, his style of play and the balance he brings to the blueline are all paying off.

 

[ZegrassyKnoll]

He's taken a step back from last year, but he's still effective and brings the edge this team needs on a nightly basis.

Still love him.

I think it's less that he's taken a step back and more that last year was him playing above his average.

This season of Gudas is who Gudas has been for a lot of his career, IMO. Not necessarily bad but not good enough to be top pairing like he's being asked to.

Thank god for LaGOAT

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

I think it's less that he's taken a step back and more that last year was him playing above his average.

This season of Gudas is who Gudas has been for a lot of his career, IMO. Not necessarily bad but not good enough to be top pairing like he's being asked to.

Thank god for LaGOAT

That's one way to look at it. Another would be that we've stunk for so long that having a legit NHL player really tilts perspective.

You're probably right that last year was the anomaly though.

 

[JAHV]

Either way, that Gudas-LaCombe pairing has been great. Obviously LaCombe's step forward has been huge in covering Gudas's deficiencies, but you have to think that Gudas has been good for LaCombe as well.

I could be remembering incorrectly, but I thought that LaCombe started the season with some different partners and he was a bit up and down. Then Cronin put him with Gudas and they've been really good ever since.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Either way, that Gudas-LaCombe pairing has been great. Obviously LaCombe's step forward has been huge in covering Gudas's deficiencies, but you have to think that Gudas has been good for LaCombe as well.

I could be remembering incorrectly, but I thought that LaCombe started the season with some different partners and he was a bit up and down. Then Cronin put him with Gudas and they've been really good ever since.

LaCombe was set to be Gudas' partner to start the season but he got awfully sick prior to the start of the season. That illness cost him over a week and four games worth. Probably lost some weight and had to restart getting back into shape, which is why the org started him on the third line to ease him in. But by being out, it caused rotation between Minty, Vaak, and himself.

It took LaCombe seven games to get into full swing of things again. Around that time, Fowler got injured and a few games later, Vaak got injured. Minty got promoted to LD1 and LaCombe LD2. Here are the pairings for eight consecutive games until Fowler returned.

Then LaCombe fell into a rotation once we traded for Trouba and Fowler was still on the roster. In the 14 games between LaCombe's game 7 and the last game Fowler played for the Ducks, LaCombe posted 5g + 2a = 7pts and a +5 rating.

Once Fowler was traded prior to the game on Dec 14th, LaCombe has been paired with Gudas as the top pair. For the past 32 games as a top pairing D, LaCombe put up 6g + 19a = 25 points, and a +10 rating.

LaCombe's offense and hitting has gradually improved. Gudas has provided LaCombe a lot of guidance playing defense as well as given him the green light to just go, go, go on offense. Ofc, it helps Gudas preserve his stamina b/c he doesn't have to rush up and down the ice as often.