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 player. He is currently playing 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 lead 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 inury.[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.[14] Gudas would rejoin the Syracuse Crunch at the finish of the NHL regular season to help the Crunch in the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs.[15] Gudas would suffer a MCL during the Eastern Conference Championship series. Gudas would miss the first four games of the Calder Cup finals.[16] Despite his return the Syracuse Crunch would fall to the Grand Rapids Griffins to finish out his AHL career.[17]

Tampa Bay Lightning

On Monday 6 May 2013, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they had signed Gudas to a 3 year contract extension.[18]

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.[19] Gudas continued to play his physical game that he had become known for in his first full NHL season.[20] 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 onto to win the game despite being down a defensemen for the remainder of the game.[21] 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.[22] 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.[23]

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.[24]

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.[25]

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

Personal life

Gudas and his girlfriend have a daughter named Leontyna.[27][28]

International

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.[29] Gudas would miss two games in the Olympics due to an apparent illness.[30] 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.

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
NHL totals 202 12 34 46 340 9 0 1 1 27

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 Oly 6th 3 0 0 0 4
Junior totals 17 3 4 7 34
Senior totals 3 0 0 0 4

References

  1. ↑ "Gudas player profile". hockeydb.com. 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  2. ↑ http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/radko_gudas/
  3. ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/content/tampa-bay-lightning-development-camp-starts-saturday-sp-times-forum
  4. ↑ http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=535710
  5. ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/content/tampa-bay-lightning-cuts-21-players-reduces-preseason-roster-28
  6. ↑ http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=588187
  7. ↑ http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/release_story1.php?id=2975
  8. ↑ http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/release_story1.php?id=2605
  9. ↑ https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/behold-incredible-playoff-beards-radko-gudas-ahl-norfolk-212828017.html
  10. ↑ http://theahl.com/lightning-crunch-enter-affiliation-p177984
  11. ↑ http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=659695
  12. ↑ http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=400442855
  13. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/panthers-kris-versteeg-out-for-the-season-with-knee-injury-1.1393554
  14. ↑ http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/radko_gudas/
  15. ↑ http://syracusecrunch.com/news/2013/4/26/mhockey_0426130853.aspx
  16. ↑ http://www.fantasysp.com/player/nhl/Radko_Gudas/2909943/radko-gudas-suffered-a-strained-medial-collateral-knee-ligament
  17. ↑ http://www.mlive.com/griffins/index.ssf/2013/06/grand_rapids_griffins_win_the.html
  18. ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/lightning-signs-d-radko-gudas-to-3-year-deal/2119468
  19. ↑ http://www.rawcharge.com/2014/7/4/5870167/2013-14-tampa-bay-lightning-year-end-review-pt-6-defensemen
  20. ↑ http://tbo.com/sports/lightning/bolts-d-gudas-grows-into-more-than-hit-machine-20131022/
  21. ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/sports/hockey/lightning/gudas-ejected-for-slashing-stick-on-panthers-bench/2149494
  22. ↑ http://tbo.com/sports/lightning/bishop-bolts-earn-point-in-road-trip-finale-20131123/
  23. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/nhl/game/1420253/recap/
  24. ↑ Smith, Joe (20 January 2015). "Radko Gudas to be out four months after knee surgery". Tampa Bay Lightning. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Flyers trade Braydon Coburn to Lightning for Radko Gudas, picks". CBS Sports. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  26. ↑ Hall, Jordan (23 June 2016). "Flyers sign Radko Gudas to multi-year extension". CSNPhilly.com. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  27. ↑ Isaac, Dave (5 March 2015). "Well-traveled Radko Gudas finishes what father started". USA Today. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  28. ↑ Isaac, Dave (9 April 2015). "Radko Gudas trying to fit in as he continues rehab on knee". Courier-Post. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  29. ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/sports/hockey/lightning/lightnings-gudas-palat-make-czech-olympic-team/2159911
  30. ↑ http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nhl/3378/radko-gudas
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