Pat Verbeek, Greg Cronin, Ducks Players Offer Thoughts on Radko Gudas Captaincy

Thursday morning, just after the first group took the ice at Ducks training camp, the team announced Radko Gudas will wear the “C” on his sweater as the ninth captain in franchise history.

Anaheim Ducks Name Radko Gudas the Ninth Captain in Franchise History

Gudas is set to begin just his second year with the team after signing a three-year, $12 million contract on July 1, 2023. His immediate impact was felt throughout the dressing room, front office, and fanbase.

His values of work ethic, accountability, and commitment to teammates separated him from other potential candidates the Ducks may have been considering throughout this process.

Gudas will be the first captain since Ryan Getzlaf, the franchise’s longest-term captain, retired in 2022 after wearing the “C” for seasons.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be named captain of the franchise,” Gudas said following his first on-ice session at training camp. “I’m real thrilled the guys think of me this way. We have a great group of leaders in this locker room. I don’t think it changes a lot. We all lead together. I’m just going to be me and be the best version of myself to help the team win.”

Pat Verbeek

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek noted during his exit interview in April the team’s intention to name a captain at some point during the summer of 2024.

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“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.”

Verbeek has a long history with Gudas and knows the character he brings to his teams on and off the ice.

“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.”

Greg Cronin

Like Gudas, Ducks head coach Greg Cronin also enters his second season with the Ducks organization.

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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.”

Teammates

The Ducks players within the locker room are the ones first mentioned out of Gudas’ mouth when he speaks of the honor of the captaincy. They’re also the ones most impacted by the decision, and they couldn’t be happier for Gudas to be the one to lead them.

Alex Killorn played 126 games alongside Gudas during their time in Tampa Bay as Gudas was a member of the Lightning from 2012 to 2015. They both signed multi-year contracts with the Ducks the day free agency opened in 2023.

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“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.”

Lukas Dostal, the only other Czech player on the Ducks roster, was taken in by the Gudas family immediately. Dostal lived with Gudas’ family before the start of Dostal’s rookie season in 2023-24, and their bond continuously grew.

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In May, the pair played together at the IIHF World Championship in front of their home fans in Prague, where they took home their first gold medal since 2010. Gudas was an alternate captain at the tournament, and Dostal was named the tournament’s best goaltender, finishing with six wins, a .939 SV%, and three shutouts.

“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.”

Mason McTavish was a player many had earmarked as the next captain of the Ducks. He captained Canada to two gold medals: a U-18 World Championship in 2020-21 and a World Junior Championship in 2022. He wore an “A” on occasion in Anaheim with the Ducks in 2023-24.

“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.”

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Like many captains in the NHL, Gudas wants the spotlight quickly moved from him and focus to be on his teammates and the upcoming season in Anaheim as the team attempts to claw their way out of the basement of the NHL standings.

“The message is gonna stay the way it was before,” Gudas said when asked. “I’m going to be the first guy in line to play hard and not make it easy for the other team to play in our zone. I’m a team mentality first guy, and I know our guys here want to do the same thing and put the team in front of themselves. We want to build a great brotherhood of success out there on the ice and be a threat.”

The Ducks’ first preseason game is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7 pm in San Jose, when they’ll take on the Sharks.

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