Despite his lower-body injury, Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas is putting a bounty on his own head and wants to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, after sidelining captain Auston Matthews for the rest of the year in the first meeting.
Despite actively dealing with an injury, Anaheim Ducks captain and defenseman Radko Gudas is aiming to suit up against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
This is significant because the first affair between the Ducks and Maple Leafs on March 12 saw a few fireworks get set off, and Toronto is looking for revenge on Anaheim's veteran blueliner.
Gudas was handed a five-game suspension for kneeing Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, ultimately sidelining Toronto's captain for the rest of this season.
In the immediate aftermath of Gudas' hit, there was no retaliation by any of the Leafs players on the ice, and that sparked unpleasantness around Leafs Nation and left a bad taste in their mouths.
The length of Gudas' suspension allowed the possibility of the Leafs meeting the Ducks defenseman again, with a chance to handle things a little differently.
However, Gudas sustained an injury in Anaheim's game against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. As he was performing a hit on Calgary's Matvei Gridin against the boards, Gudas had some awkward footing that resulted in him using a walking boot after the game, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Radko Gudas and Auston Matthews (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)He only had 8:33 of ice time in that game against the Flames, and didn't play on Saturday for the Ducks against the Edmonton Oilers.
But even though he's dealing with that lower-body injury, Friedman reported on his 'Saturday Headlines' segment that Gudas wants to play against Toronto at all costs.
"Gudas has apparently said he wants to play Monday against the Maple Leafs, no matter what," Friedman said on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. "He recognizes that the Maple Leafs want a piece of him, and he wants to play."
Friedman further reported that the 35-year-old D-man is supposed to see doctors on Sunday.
Gudas has nothing to gain in this situation. Already dealing with an injury, knowing that it will be a physically taxing outing against Toronto, and the Ducks have critical games coming up where they could use their captain.
Anaheim currently leads the Pacific Division and would like its veteran blueliner healthy for the final stretch, as well as the first round of the post-season.
Yet, because he feels it's the "right thing to do," he wants to dress against the Maple Leafs.
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