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1 hour ago
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to do one of the weirdest possible things in free agency.
They could sign Radko Gudas, and it sounds like it's a real possibility.
This is what ESPN's Kevin Weekes shared on X on Thursday night:
👀 Per sources, I’m told @AnaheimDucks Captain D Gudas is gaining interest in the marketplace. If him & Ducks can’t get a deal done, @FlaPanthers @MapleLeafs are among potential fits.He’s physical, experienced,
playoff tested, on a 2-3Yr term between 3.5M-4M+AAV #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/llbpdidQNa
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Based on that, it seems like a return to Anaheim is in play, but otherwise it might be a signing with an Eastern Conference team coming off a disappointing missed-playoff season, either the Maple Leafs or the Florida Panthers.
Toronto, as most Leafs fans will be well aware, would be a signing containing immense irony.
Gudas is the defenseman who made what many believed to be a dirty hit to Auston Matthews' knee late in the season, injuring the Toronto captain and knocking him out for the rest of the season.
It seems likely the Leafs would at least check in with Matthews before making such a move, but it sends an odd message.
Yes, Toronto needs to shake up its blue line, but is Gudas the right answer anyway? He's a physical player, but he's not getting any younger. The Maple Leafs could probably go in a different direction, too.
It'd certainly send an odd message to Matthews and his teammates to bring Gudas on board now.
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