Radko Gudas

History

2008-09: Radko Gudas made his professional elite league debut with HC Kladno after playing in their junior program since 2004-05. He had 1 assist in seven games with 8 PIM. Gudas played most of the season with HC Berounsti Medvedi in the Czech second division and had 3 assists with 74 PIM in 21 games. With HC Kladno's U-20 team, he had one assist in two games. Gudas scored his only two goals of the season playing for the sixth-place Czech Republic at the WJC U-20 tournament. He also had an assist and 8 PIM in six games. Gudas was selected by the Everett Silvertips of the WHL in the first round (20th overall) of the CHL Import Draft.

2009-10: Gudas attended the Los Angeles Kings training camp as a non-roster invitee but was not signed to a contract and joined Everett in the WHL. He displayed an offensive touch to go with his hard scrabble defensive game as a 19-year-old rookie for Everett. Gudas scored 7 goals with 30 assists and was +45 with 151 PIM for a Silvertips team that finished second in the US division and allowed the fewest even-strength goals in the WHL. He scored 3 of his 7 goals on the power play and was named to the WHL West Second All-Star team. Gudas was injured in Game 2 of the Silvertips' seven-game, first-round playoff series and missed four games before returning for the series finale. He had 2 assists and was an even plus/minus with 4 PIM in three playoff games. Gudas played six games for the Czech Republic at the WJC U-20 tournament and had 2 assists and was +2 with 14 PIM. Gudas signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Tampa Bay in August.

2010-11: Gudas skated in 76 of 80 games for AHL Norfolk as a 20-year old in his first pro season. He led Admirals defensemen with a +14 plus/minus rating and was second on the team in penalty minutes (165). Offensively, he scored 4 goals with 17 assists. In six playoff games for the Admirals he was -1 with 7 PMs.

2011-12: Gudas was one of the top defensive defensemen for AHL champion Norfolk in his second pro season. He was plus-19, leading the Admirals with 195 penalty minutes, and chipped in offensively with 7 goals and 13 assists. Norfolk finished first in the East Division before rolling through the playoffs. Gudas was plus-nine with 3 assists and 14 penalty minutes in 16 playoff games.

 

Talent Analysis

Gudas is a throw-back, physical defenseman who likes to punish opposition players along the walls and in open ice. He is a bit shorter than most defensemen that play his style (possibly the reason he was passed over in two NHL drafts before being selected by the Lightning in 2010), but he has a thick frame and a high-energy motor that wears down opposing forwards. Gudas' offensive contributions usually come from quick, crisp outlet passes or by forcing turnovers in the neutral zone. He is also a willing combatant if the situation arises. His father Leo Gudas, also a defensive defenseman, was a 1990 Calgary Flames draft pick and played for the last Czechoslovakian team in the 1992 Olympics and for the first Czech Republic team the following season at the World Championships.

 

Future

Long-term, he projects as a shut-down defenseman who is valuable in his own end and can make life difficult for opposing forwards. While players like Gudas are generally not thought of in terms of being high prospects, they are a valued commodity on most winning teams.