The perfect addition to the Edmonton Oilers blueline could be this rugged defender.
The perfect addition to the Edmonton Oilers blueline could be this rugged defender.
EDMONTON -- It never hurts to upgrade your blue line.
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This should be the mantra for every NHL General Manager, including the Edmonton Oilers' Stan Bowman. According to recent reports, it sounds like he is trying to do just that.
But if the Oilers are going to upgrade their blue line, who makes sense? Who will add to the mix instead of subtract?
There is one defender that stands out. He has a relatively affordable contract, plays against elite competition a lot, has good results against that competition and is tough-as-nails.
Oilers Should Push Their Chips in for Radko Gudas
Radko Gudas is a 6-foot 208 lbs right-handed defenseman currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks. He had 18 points in 66 games last season playing top-four minutes.
Gudas averaged the third most minutes on the Ducks with 19:30 a game. Only Jamie Drysdale (21:35) and Cam Fowler (24:25) played more than him.
He had the best dangerous fenwick for percentage (DFF%) on the Ducks blue line with 48.2%. Considering that the Ducks were one of the worst teams in the league, this number shouldn't be a red flag.
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Relative to his teammates, Gudas had the second best Corsi For percentage (CF%) against elite competition. He also averaged the third most time on ice against elite competition for the Ducks, with just under six minutes a game.
Gudas is also a wrecking ball. The defender might not be the most towering defender, but he's more than willing to throw his body around. In 2023-24 he threw 232 hits. That was 120 more hits than the next defender for the Ducks.
Gudas was fifth amongst all NHL defenders in hits last year, and 18th amongst all skaters. The only Oilers player with more hits than Gudas last year, was Evander Kane (250).
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His cap hit isn't impossible to acquire either. Gudas is entering the second year of a three-year deal for $4-million per season. He has a modified no trade clause, that includes a 16-team no trade list.
Given his results against elite competition, physical style of play, and affordable contract, Gudas should be a top target to upgrade the Oilers defense group.
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