Gudas ready to chase Stanley Cup in 2nd stint with Panthers

When Radko Gudas was with the Florida Panthers from 2020-23, he helped build the foundation of an eventual championship team.

But when those Stanley Cup titles were won, he wasn’t there to enjoy the fruits of his labors. 

But now he’s back in Florida and ready to be part of a Cup-winning team.

"I'm really thrilled to join them again, exactly, for the ultimate goal," Gudas said Friday. "I think that's one of the reasons I wanted to join this group, too. I spoke with Billy (Zito, Panthers general manager) and spoke with Paul (Maurice, Panthers coach). The goal is 100 percent set and we're just looking for this one cherry on the top. I would love nothing more than to help the guys with the ultimate goal."

The 36-year-old defenseman was acquired by the Panthers from the Anaheim Ducks for forward A.J. Greer on Monday. He then signed a six-year contract with Florida on Wednesday. Financial terms were not announced.

Gudas went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Panthers in 2023, but Florida lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Gudas went to free agency that offseason, signing with the Anaheim Ducks on July 1, 2023.

He played three seasons in Anaheim, and while the Ducks missed the postseason his first two seasons there, the Panthers won the Cup in 2024 and 2025. This past season, the Panthers missed the playoff while Gudas, who was captain in Anaheim, and the Ducks chased the Cup. The Ducks made the postseason for the first time since 2017-18, and reached the Western Conference second round, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. 

"Building (the Panthers), it was great," Gudas said. "I got to meet some great people, great players along the way. I still think about a lot of the times I spent there and that was one of the reasons why I think I'm back, or why I know I'm back.

"Seeing their success, seeing them getting built and seeing them playing with more mojo and being the team to beat, pretty much, it's awesome to see. It helps you with getting going and it helps you to motivate yourself to get even better."

Reuniting with Gudas is one of several big offseason moves the Panthers made to get them back to Cup-contender status. 

On June 23, they acquired forward Brady Tkachuk, brother of Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Like Gudas, Brady was the captain of his team before coming to Florida. 

On Tuesday, the Panthers acquired goalie Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils. Markstrom, who began his career with Florida, replaces Sergei Bobrovsky, who won the two Cup titles with Florida but signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent on Wednesday.

The Panthers also added forward Garnet Hathaway in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on June 25.

Gudas is feeling great about being back. Now to get that Cup.

“Watching them the last few years, Florida was the team that played the right way from start to finish from Game 1 of the year to Game 84 now of the season,” he said. “It’s something that had to be built there. (Now) the guys have that in their DNA. I don’t think I’m going to have to implement that on anybody.”

A third-round pick (No. 66) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Draft, Gudas has 211 points (42 goals, 169 assists) in 885 NHL games with the Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, Panthers and Ducks. He also has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

But has never won the Cup. 

“I’m a guy that leaves everything out there every time I can,” he said. “I think that’s my part of leadership in this group, that I’m just going to leave everything out there. I’m going to make sure I do the right things and lead with the way I work my way into the games the whole year. They have a lot of great leaders, a lot of winners. The boys won have won pretty much everything the last few years that they got into. 

“I don’t think there’s a lot I have to implement on the team. I’m going to try to be in the best possible condition I can be and just play my role and make sure I bring some more fire again into the battle.”