Insider Names Ducks Next Captain

The Anaheim Ducks might have a new captain for the 2024-2025 season.

Apr 18, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) celebrates with defenseman Jackson LaCombe (60) and defenseman Radko Gudas (7) after scoring a third goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Anaheim Ducks are hoping 2024-2025 will be a season of improvements. They've struggled through several years of a rebuild and haven't won more than 35 games since the 2017-2018 season. Heading into the newest campaign, there is a sense of optimism from their young core.

Part of the Ducks' optimism could also come from naming a new captain. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman put out a written edition of his usual 32 Thoughts podcast, covering a variety of topics from the NHL/NHLPA European Media Tour. One of his brief thoughts, almost an afterthought, is sparking some intrigue.

The Ducks elected to send defenseman Radko Gudas on the upcoming North American media tour. Now, this would make a ton of sense if he was their representative for the European tour. Gudas is Czechian, giving him a chance to represent his organization in European cities like his home country's capital city of Prague. But Friedman also speculates that Gudas being the nominee for the North American tour could be a test run for him as the Ducks' new team captain.

"Saw Radko Gudas will attend the North American media tour for Anaheim," he wrote. "Captain Duck?"

Now, Friedman is just voicing a thought, not reporting on any inside information or citing any sources. Still, the possibility of Gudas being the captain of the Ducks is an unexpected twist. The veteran of 748 NHL games is only in his second season with the team. He's a hard worker who leads by example on the ice, but he's never been seen as the unequivocal leader of a locker room.

There are also plenty of other candidates to take over the captaincy that might make more sense. For starters, forward Troy Terry seems like an obvious choice to wear the "C" in Anaheim. He's a fifth-round draft pick of the Ducks and has worked his way up to being a 25-goal scorer. He's been a consistent 60-point scorer over his three full seasons with the team, and he's under contract through the 2029-2030 season.

The Ducks have been without a full-time captain since the retirement of franchise legend Ryan Getzlaf. They haven't named any leadership decisions for the upcoming season, but if Friedman's speculation proves correct Radko Gudas could be the Ducks' next captain.

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