Anaheim captain Radko Gudas is drawing interest around the league, and Kevin Weekes named two teams to watch if the Ducks can't strike a deal.
Weekes laid it out. Per his sources, the veteran defenseman is gaining interest in the marketplace.
The fits came next. If Gudas and Anaheim can't get a deal done, Florida and Toronto are among the potential landing spots.
He sketched the profile, too. Gudas is physical, experienced and playoff-tested, on a term of two to three years in the $3.5 million to $4 million range.
That's a useful, affordable veteran, the kind contenders and retoolers both chase.
Weekes put the situation on the radar with a clear list of suitors.
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Florida and Toronto both make sense for Gudas
The Anaheim piece is the trigger. The "if they can't get a deal done" framing suggests a contract crossroads. No agreement, and the 36-year-old could be on the move.
For the record, his cap hit checks in at $4 million, and he played 56 games this season with 13 points and a minus-2 on a Ducks team that finished 92 points and 17th overall.
Florida is the obvious style fit. A physical, championship-pedigree team values exactly what Gudas brings, and he'd slot into a contender's bottom pair without missing a beat.
Toronto is the more interesting one. The Leafs are reshaping their blue line, with Morgan Rielly reportedly headed out West, and a tough veteran defenseman addresses a real need.
A 28th-place team in transition could use Gudas's edge and experience. His cheap, short term also fits a cap-conscious reset perfectly.
Here's my read: Gudas is the kind of low-cost, high-utility veteran every team covets at the margins. For Florida he's a luxury. For Toronto he's closer to a need.
If Anaheim doesn't extend him, expect a real market to form. Physical, playoff-tested defensemen on reasonable deals don't sit around long.
It all starts with the Ducks and their captain, though. Come to terms, and this goes quiet fast.
If they can't, Weekes's fits go live, and the Leafs, mid-reset on the back end, are the ones worth watching closest.
Should the Leafs target Radko Gudas for their blue line?
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