Radko Gudas

Radko Gudas
Born (1990-06-05) 5 June 1990
Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams		 Philadelphia Flyers
Rabat Kladno
Tampa Bay Lightning
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 66th overall, 2010
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2008–present

Radko Gudas (born 5 June 1990) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). The son of Leo Gudas, who competed for Czechoslovakia at the 1992 Winter Olympics, Gudas was raised in Kladno, and played for HC Rabat Kladno. He moved to North America in 2009, spending one season with the Everett Silvertips of the major junior Western Hockey League before the Lightning selected him 66th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Internationally Gudas played for the Czech Republic national junior team at two World Junior Championships and for the senior team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Playing career

Junior

Gudas played in the Czech Extraliga with HC Kladno during the 2008–09 season.[1] Gudas was selected by the Everett Silvertips of the WHL in the first round of the CHL Import Draft with the 20th pick. Gudas was invited to the Kings training camp after going un-drafted in the 2009 NHL Draft. He would not be offered a contract from the Kings following training camp. He would then join the Everett Silvertips that fall. He would have a strong season with the Silvertips, posting 7 goals, 30 assists, and 151 penalty minutes.[2] The choice to play for the Everett Silvertips would pay off when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft with their 3rd-round draft pick. Gudas would participate in the 2010 Lightning Developmental Camp that ran from 10–14 July.[3]

On 8 August 2010, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they had signed Gudas to a three-year entry-level contract.[4]

Norfolk Admirals

Gudas participated in first NHL training camp in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gudas would be reassigned to the Lightning American Hockey League affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.[5]

Gudas had shown a desire to lay big hits on his opposition, along with an extensive fight card in his rookie season. In total Gudas dropped the gloves 16 times, and amassed 165 penalty minutes in 76 games for the Norfolk Admirals. His point totals for that season were 4 goals and 13 assists.[6]

He spent the entire 2011–12 season in the American Hockey League with the Norfolk Admirals. It was during this season that the Norfolk Admirals set a professional hockey record by winning 28 consecutive games.[7] Gudas would help lead the Admiral blue-line with fellow Lightning prospect Mark Barberio to the 2012 Calder Cup championship in a four-game sweep of the Toronto Marlies in the finals.[8]

Norfolk Admirals and Lightning fans had been aware of Gudas' ability to grow a great beard. It was during the Norfolk Admirals' playoff run to the championship that Gudas was noticed for his mighty playoff beard.[9] It has been a signature look of his since then.

Syracuse Crunch

Following the dream season for the Norfolk Admirals, the Tampa Bay Lightning decided to end their affiliation with the Admirals. The Tampa Bay Lightning had entered into a multi-year affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch after parting ways with Norfolk.[10] Due to the change in affiliation, Gudas would be assigned to the Syracuse Crunch for the 2012–13 AHL season. Gudas posted another strong season playing for the Crunch until he was recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning on 11 March 2013. Prior to being recalled Gudas had 4 goals and 20 points for the Crunch. At the time Gudas led the AHL with a plus/minus rating of plus-32. He was also fourth in the league with 207 penalty minutes.[11]

Gudas played his first NHL game against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida. Gudas posted three blocked shots, and two hits in 15:20 of playtime. During this game Gudas would get himself noticed quickly in the NHL. This happened when he went to lay a hit on Florida Panthers forward Kris Versteeg. Versteeg attempted to avoid the hit, but still collided with him. Versteeg would end up leaving the game with what appeared to be a right leg injury.[12] It was revealed two days later that Kris Versteeg would need to undergo season-ending knee surgery due to the collision with Gudas.[13] Gudas would finish out the remainder of the season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, playing in 22 contests. He posted 2 goals, 3 assists, 38 penalty minutes and was a +3 in his first NHL season.[2] Gudas would rejoin the Syracuse Crunch at the finish of the NHL regular season to help the Crunch in the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs.[14] Gudas would suffer a MCL during the Eastern Conference Championship series. Gudas would miss the first four games of the Calder Cup finals.[15] Despite his return the Syracuse Crunch would fall to the Grand Rapids Griffins to finish out his AHL career.[16]

Tampa Bay Lightning

On Monday 6 May 2013, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they had signed Gudas to a 3-year contract extension.[17]

Gudas was thrust into a top-4 role on defense for the season, with Eric Brewer being moved to a more manageable 3rd pair role.[18] Gudas continued to play his physical game that he had become known for in his first full NHL season.[19] His rough and tumble in-your-face game also landed Gudas in trouble at a few points during the season. The biggest incident involved Panthers forward Scottie Upshall squirting Gudas with a bottle of water from after he had fallen in front of the Panthers bench. Gudas would retaliate by smashing his stick on the Panthers in frustration. He would be ejected from the game for his actions, though the Lightning would still go on to win the game despite being down a defensemen for the remainder of the game.[20] Gudas also received a match penalty against the Dallas Stars on 5 March 2014. Though it was announced by Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman that there would not be any additional discipline from the league.[21] Gudas finished his first full NHL season by playing three games in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 4 sweep by the Montreal Canadiens.[22]

In the 2014–15 season, on 6 January 2015, Gudas underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. The Lightning announced that he would be out for the remainder of the regular season.[23]

Philadelphia Flyers

On 2 March 2015, at the trade deadline Gudas was traded by the Lightning along with a first and third-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Braydon Coburn.[24]

Gudas was suspended for three games on 2 December 2015, for an illegal check to the head of Mika Zibanejad during a 4–2 win against the Ottawa Senators the night before. He was not assessed a penalty for the hit during the game, though Zibanejad left the game.[25]

Gudas signed a four-year contract with the Flyers worth $13.4 million on 23 June 2016.[26]

In an 8 October 2016, preseason game against the Boston Bruins, Gudas delivered an interfering hit on Austin Czarnik, who left the game and soon underwent concussion protocol. While Gudas was assessed a minor penalty for boarding during the game, upon review of the incident, the NHL Department of Player Safety eventually suspended Gudas for six games, in part because of his previous suspension in 2015.[27]

International play

Gudas at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

On 6 January 2014, Radko Gudas was named to the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team with teammate Ondřej Palát for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[28] Gudas would miss two games in the Olympics due to an apparent illness.[29] He would appear in 3 games and record 4 penalty minutes during his first Olympics. The Czech Team were eliminated at the hands of Team USA.

Criticism

Gudas' style of play has resulted in criticism, ejections, injuries to opposing players, and subsequent reviews and suspensions from the NHL's Department of Player Safety. NBC Sports writer James O’Brien noted Gudas’ growing list of indiscretions in late 2016, writing that “If the Department of Player Safety had a speed dial list of regulars, Gudas would have a prominent spot on it.”[30] Hockey writers have described him as reckless[31] and as a player who consistently demonstrates no regard for opponents in vulnerable positions.[32] As a member of the Flyers, he has been referred to by the Philadelphia sports press as a player who “represents everything that the Flyers once were and should no longer aspire to be”, as well as “a cheap-shot aficionado, reckless, careless, damaging to the Flyers' chances of winning and to other athletes' health and safety, a player who can't be trusted by either his teammates or his opponents to play a tough, clean game.” [33]

On 2 December 2015, the league issued Gudas a three-game suspension for a headshot delivered to Ottawa forward Mika Zibanejad a day earlier, noting that an injury was caused and that the targeting of the head was avoidable.[34] On 10 October 2016, Gudas was issued a six-game suspension for an injury-causing hit delivered to the head of Boston Bruins’ forward Austin Czarnik in a pre-season game.[35]

Gudas has also been involved in numerous questionable plays in which he has avoided disciplinary action despite placing opponents in danger or causing injury.[30] This history of delivering dangerous hits while typically avoiding suspension has been referred to facetiously as Gudas’ “signature skill” as a professional hockey player.[36] In mid-February 2016, Gudas was ejected from a game for the third time in sixteen days after he injured New Jersey Devils’ forward Bobby Farnham with a late hit which targeted the head of a player not involved in the play.[37] Gudas was ejected for boarding New York Rangers' forward Jimmy Vesey in a pre-season game on 3 October 2016, receiving a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.[38] On 26 October 2017, Gudas was again ejected, receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct after targeting the head of Ottawa Senators’ defenseman Chris Wideman.[39]

Flyers’ coach Dave Hakstol and GM Ron Hextall were reported to have met with Gudas in early 2016 to discuss his on-ice actions. The Philadelphia sports press noted that Gudas' behavior only worsened after the meeting, lamenting that Gudas’ on-ice actions were likely to encourage retaliation not against himself, but against the Flyers' star players such as Claude Giroux and Jakub Voráček.[33]

On 20 November 2017, Gudas was suspended for ten games without pay for a slash to the neck of Winnipeg Jets' forward Mathieu Perreault while Perreault was in a prone position on the ice.[40] Upon returning from this ten game suspension, Gudas immediately found himself in the news again after leaving his feet to deliver a hit to New Jersey Devils' forward Kyle Palmieri on February 1, 2018. Though he avoided another suspension and claimed the incident was accidental, Palmieri said he believed Gudas no longer deserved the benefit of the doubt in light of his history, adding that he felt the Flyers' player had "run out of second chances."[41]

Personal life

Gudas and his girlfriend have a daughter named Leontyna.[42][43]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 Rabat Kladno CZE — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Rabat Kladno CZE 7 0 1 1 8 — — — — —
2009–10 Everett Silvertips WHL 65 7 30 37 151 3 0 2 2 4
2010–11 Norfolk Admirals AHL 76 4 13 17 165 6 0 0 0 7
2011–12 Norfolk Admirals AHL 73 7 13 20 195 16 0 3 3 14
2012–13 Syracuse Crunch AHL 57 4 16 20 207 12 2 1 3 34
2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 22 2 3 5 38 — — — — —
2013–14 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 73 3 19 22 152 3 0 1 1 9
2014–15 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 31 2 3 5 34 — — — — —
2015–16 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 5 9 14 116 6 0 0 0 18
2016–17 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 67 6 17 23 93 — — — — —
2017–18 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 70 2 14 16 83 6 0 0 0 9
NHL totals 339 20 65 85 516 15 0 1 1 36

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Czech Republic WJC18-D1 11th 5 1 1 2 12
2009 Czech Republic WJC 6th 6 2 1 3 8
2010 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 0 2 2 14
2014 Czech Republic OG 6th 3 0 0 0 4
2017 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 2 1 3 6
Junior totals 17 3 4 7 34
Senior totals 11 2 1 3 10

References

  1. ↑ "Gudas player profile". hockeydb.com. 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  2. 1 2 "Hockey's Future - Radko Gudas".
  3. ↑ "Tampa Bay Lightning Development Camp starts Saturday at the SP Times Forum".
  4. ↑ "Lightning Sign 2010 Draft Pick, D Radko Gudas".
  5. ↑ "Tampa Bay Lightning cuts 21 players, reduces preseason roster to 28".
  6. ↑ "Gudas hitting his way to the top".
  7. ↑ "Official Home of the Norfolk Admirals". Archived from the original on 4 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Official Home of the Norfolk Admirals". Archived from the original on 25 June 2012.
  9. ↑ "Behold, the incredible playoff beards of Radko Gudas and AHL's Norfolk Admirals".
  10. ↑ "Lightning, Crunch enter affiliation".
  11. ↑ "Lightning Recall Defenseman Radko Gudas from Syracuse".
  12. ↑ "Stamkos' 20th goal lifts Lightning over Panthers".
  13. ↑ "Panthers' Kris Versteeg out for the season with knee injury".
  14. ↑ "LIGHTNING REASSIGN RADKO GUDAS, RICHARD PANIK TO SYRACUSE".
  15. ↑ "NHL / Radko Gudas".
  16. ↑ "Grand Rapids Griffins win the Calder Cup thanks to late goal by Brennan Evans".
  17. ↑ "Lightning signs D Radko Gudas to 3-year, $2.975 million deal". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  18. ↑ Alexander, Kyle (4 July 2014). "2013-14 Lightning year-end review pt 6: defensemen".
  19. ↑ "Bolts D Gudas grows into more than hit machine". 22 October 2013.
  20. ↑ "Page Not Found - Tampa Bay Times".
  21. ↑ "Bishop, Bolts earn point in road trip finale". 23 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Schedule - NHL - Sports - CBC.ca".
  23. ↑ Smith, Joe (20 January 2015). "Radko Gudas to be out four months after knee surgery". Tampa Bay Lightning. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "Flyers trade Braydon Coburn to Lightning for Radko Gudas, picks". CBS Sports. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  25. ↑ http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=890453
  26. ↑ Hall, Jordan (23 June 2016). "Flyers sign Radko Gudas to multi-year extension". CSNPhilly.com. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  27. ↑ "Radko Gudas of Flyers suspended six games". NHL.com. 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
  28. ↑ "Page Not Found - Tampa Bay Times".
  29. ↑ "Recent news on Radko Gudas - Philadelphia Flyers - Rotoworld.com".
  30. 1 2 NHL hands Radko Gudas a six-game suspension http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2016/10/10/nhl-hands-radko-gudas-a-six-game-suspension/
  31. ↑ Radko Gudas in Midseason Form, Unfortunately https://thehockeywriters.com/radko-gudas-in-midseason-form-unfortunately/
  32. ↑ Radko Gudas on Scottie Upshall - should be suspended, but probably won't http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/radko-gudas-on-scottie-upshall-should-be-suspended-but-probably-wont
  33. 1 2 Sielski: Gudas is not serving Flyers well http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20160219_Sielski__Gudas_is_not_serving_Flyers_well.html
  34. ↑ Gudas suspended three games for ‘a hit where the head was avoidable’ http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/12/02/gudas-suspended-three-games-for-a-hit-where-the-head-was-avoidable/
  35. ↑ Radko Gudas of Flyers suspended six games https://www.nhl.com/news/radko-gudas-of-philadelphia-flyers-suspended/c-282538868
  36. ↑ Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas is the NHL's greatest escape artist https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/flyers-defenseman-radko-gudas-is-the-nhls-greatest-escape-artist/
  37. ↑ Suspend him or not: Radko Gudas. Again. We're not making this up http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/suspend-him-or-not-radko-gudas-again-were-not-making-this-up
  38. ↑ Flyers’ Radko Gudas ejected for boarding Rangers’ Jimmy Vesey http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/flyers-radko-gudas-ejected-boarding-rangers-jimmy-vesey/
  39. ↑ Gudas won't face discipline for Wideman hit https://www.tsn.ca/gudas-won-t-face-discipline-for-wideman-hit-1.897977
  40. ↑ Greg Wyshynski (19 November 2017). "Radko Gudas suspended 10 games by NHL for slash to head". ESPN.
  41. ↑ TSN Staff (2 February 2018). "Palmieri: Gudas' 'history speaks for itself'". TSN.
  42. ↑ Isaac, Dave (5 March 2015). "Well-traveled Radko Gudas finishes what father started". USA Today. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  43. ↑ Isaac, Dave (9 April 2015). "Radko Gudas trying to fit in as he continues rehab on knee". Courier-Post. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
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