The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be big players this summer in both the trade market and in free agency, as they try to improve on the horrific 2025-26 campaign that we all just had to experience. And it doesn't seem like general manager John Chayka is going to back down from any controversy.
According to ESPN's Kevin Weekes, the Maple Leafs are one of the teams interested in signing 36-year-old, right-handed defenseman Radko Gudas in free agency this summer.
The veteran rearguard is coming to the end of his contract with the Anaheim Ducks, the team he was the captain of for the past two seasons, and is about to hit the open market.
👀 Per sources, I’m told @AnaheimDucks Captain D Gudas is gaining interest in the marketplace. If him & Ducks can’t get a deal done, @FlaPanthers @MapleLeafs are among potential fits.He’s physical, experienced,
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) June 19, 2026
playoff tested, on a 2-3Yr term between 3.5M-4M+AAV #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/llbpdidQNa
While Gudas could technically be a solid addition if the team decided they need even more grit but with some real solid defense to go along with it, it would be an extremely controversial signing among Leafs Nation.
Signing Radko Gudas could be the most conversial thing Chayka can do
Gudas, famously, was the player who injured Leafs captain Auston Matthews in a brutal and vicious and dirty knee-on-knee collision. Matthews had his season ended early by that extremely nasty play.
Radko Gudas received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Auston Matthews.
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 13, 2026
Matthews has since left the game 🤕 pic.twitter.com/E8lc8MjvJh
To then welcome in that player with open arms, give the elderly defender a three-year, $12-million contract (for example) and see him as some sort of solution on the blue line, would be a little absurd. Even if he made your team better in theory, to just get this guy who is capable of doing these heartless acts on the ice, and to your captain, might not be the best course forward.
Where would Gudas even fit on the Leafs?
And even if he were to sign, the Leafs do have similar players already.
Brandon Carlo isn't as physical of course, but he still has some solid defensive play and he's so much younger and potentially cheaper. Chris Tanev is of course an option, if he returns to full health. And Jake McCabe plays a similar style of game.
Unless the Leafs are parting ways with someone like Carlo via trade this summer, signing Gudas does not seem like the best thing to do to make this a blue line that can move the puck better and actually help out the forward on offense.
It feels just like a crazy thing to do and pull out as one of the moves to make this team better -- to just give up on your team, who finally got their act together after not even defending their captain as he laid there with a busted knee.
These rumours are going to keep on piling up.
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