The Florida Panthers moved before the free agency rush, acquiring the negotiating rights to Radko Gudas from the Anaheim Ducks for the rights to A.J. Greer.
The deal gave both teams early access before the market opened. Florida gained the first run at Gudas, a defenseman who already knows its system and its room. Anaheim gained the same window as Greer, then moved quickly to turn that access into a 4 year contract worth $17 million.
Gudas, 36, spent 3 seasons with Florida from 2020 to 2023. He was a key part of the Panthers team that reached the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. Greer, 29, leaves Florida after the best regular season of his NHL career and a 2025 Stanley Cup run in which he served as a fourth-line, physical depth forward.
Why Panthers Acquire Radko Gudas Rights Before Free Agency
For the Panthers, the logic goes beyond nostalgia. Gudas gives Florida a known commodity at a position where fit matters almost as much as talent.
He is not a point-driven defenseman. His 13 points in 56 games for Anaheim last season tell only part of the story. Gudas has built his NHL value through contact, penalty killing, crease protection, and the kind of hard defensive minutes that become harder to find once the market opens.
Florida knows that version well. During his first Panthers spell, Gudas gave the team a direct, confrontational presence on the back end. Coaches did not need him to run a power play or carry the puck through 3 zones. His job was simpler and more punishing: close space, finish checks, and make playoff hockey uncomfortable.
That is why this move fits the Panthers’ current need. They were not shopping for an unknown upside play. They were trying to get early access to a player who already understands the standard in Florida.
Anaheim Moves From Gudas To A.J. Greer
Anaheim did not treat Greer as a placeholder. The Ducks quickly pushed the move beyond negotiation rights by signing him to a 4 year, $17 million contract.
The deal also marked a clean leadership transition. Gudas had been more than a physical defenseman in Anaheim. He wore the captaincy, set a tone for a young team and became one of the club’s most visible veterans.
“Radko Gudas captained our club with heart and soul over the last 2 seasons while making a great impact in our community.”
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said.
That quote explains why the move carried weight for the Ducks. Anaheim was not simply letting go of an expiring contract. It was moving away from a veteran captain and redirecting that value into a younger forward who better fits the next phase of the roster.
Greer gives the Ducks a bite up front. He scored 17 goals, added 15 assists, and finished with 32 points in 78 games last season. Those were career highs, and they came from a player whose reputation had long been built around pace, size, and agitation rather than scoring punch.
Panthers Acquire Radko Gudas Rights With Clear Market Intent
Florida wanted a direct path back to defensive hardness. Gudas brings 885 NHL regular-season games, 58 playoff games, and 1,124 penalty minutes. He also brings a style that can steady a blue line without needing offensive usage.
Anaheim wanted to get younger and heavier at forward without abandoning the edge Gudas represented. Greer can forecheck, stir games, and contribute enough offense to justify more than a depth role.
There is a risk on both sides. Florida still has to make the Gudas reunion work financially. Anaheim has already committed term and money to a player whose best offensive season came at 29.
Still, the intent is clear. The Panthers are chasing a trusted defensive identity. The Ducks are reshaping their forward group with a harder edge. For the wider free agency market, the move also signals that teams with specific roster holes are willing to spend assets early rather than wait for July 1 bidding to dictate the price.
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FAQs
Q1. Why did the Panthers acquire Radko Gudas’ rights?
A. Florida wanted early access to a defenseman it already knows. Gudas fits the Panthers’ physical, playoff-tested style.
Q2. Did Radko Gudas already sign with the Panthers?
A. The article says Florida acquired his negotiating rights. The Panthers still need to make the reunion work financially.
Q3. What did the Ducks get for Radko Gudas’ rights?
A. Anaheim acquired the rights to A.J. Greer. The Ducks then moved quickly to sign him to a 4 year contract.
Q4. Why does A.J. Greer fit the Ducks?
A. Greer adds size, forechecking, and physical play up front. He also comes off the best scoring season of his NHL career.
Q5. Why does this trade matter before free agency?
A. It shows both teams wanted a head start. Florida chased a familiar defenseman, while Anaheim secured a harder forward fit.
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