Radko Gudas is back with the Florida Panthers, and AJ Greer is headed to the Anaheim Ducks in a Monday swap of rights. The move sends a 36-year-old defenseman to a club that already knows his game, while Anaheim gets a 29-year-old forward who just posted career highs.
Gudas played three seasons for the Panthers from 2020-23 and helped them reach the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. He returns after the Ducks named him their ninth captain on Sept. 19, 2024, and after he put up 13 points in 56 regular-season games last season.
Pat Verbeek on Gudas
Pat Verbeek said, "Radko Gudas captained our club with heart and soul over the last two seasons while making a great impact in our community". He added, "We offer our thanks and wish him great success going forward."
That move closes the book on a captaincy that began with the Ducks on July 1, 2023, and on a career line that now sits at 211 points in 885 regular-season games. Gudas also has 10 points in 58 playoff games, with one assist in five games for Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
A.J. Greer and Anaheim
The Ducks get Greer’s rights at a moment when the forward just finished his best regular season. He had 17 goals, 15 assists and 32 points in 78 games, and he also won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2025.
Verbeek said, "We hope to sign A.J. to a contract and look forward to what he can bring to our club." Greer, 29, has 81 points in 326 regular-season games and three points in 16 playoff games, so Anaheim is not just adding a name — it is adding a potential UFA whose production just jumped.
Panthers and Ducks
The Panthers made the trade after finishing seventh in the Atlantic Division with a 40-38-4 record and missing the playoffs despite winning two consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Their recent roster churn also included Brady Tkachuk arriving eight days before the Gudas deal, Garnet Hathaway coming in on June 25, and Mackie Samoskevich leaving on June 21.
Anaheim’s side is simpler. The Ducks went 43-33-6 to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018, then advanced to the Western Conference Second Round before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Now they hold Greer’s rights and a decision on a contract that can shape whether this trade ends as a clean player-for-player exchange or a short detour before Wednesday’s free-agent window.
