The Florida Panthers made a move before the free agency bell even rang. They traded the negotiating rights to pending unrestricted free agent A.J. Greer to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the rights to defenseman Radko Gudas.
It’s a straight swap of players who were about to hit the open market. Greer, 28, put up 17 goals and 32 points in 78 games last season for the Panthers. He was also part of Florida’s back-to-back Stanley Cup runs, chipping in two goals and three points across 16 playoff games during the first championship run two seasons ago.
Gudas, 34, heads the other way. He logged two goals, 13 points and 67 penalty minutes in 56 games for Anaheim last season. A broken hand limited him to just one playoff game. But the Panthers clearly see value in his physical edge and veteran presence on the blue line.
Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek made it clear the Ducks want to keep Greer around. “Radko Gudas captained our club with heart and soul over the last two seasons while making a great impact in our community. We offer our thanks and wish him great success going forward. We hope to sign A.J. to a contract and look forward to what he can bring to our club,” Verbeek said in a statement.
So why trade the rights instead of just letting both players hit free agency? Simple. It gives each team a head start on contract talks. The Panthers get an exclusive window to negotiate with Gudas before July 1. Same deal for the Ducks with Greer. If neither side gets a deal done, the players go to market anyway. No harm done.
What Gudas Brings to Florida
This isn’t a splashy move. But it fits what Florida likes to do. Gudas is a stay-at-home defenseman who plays mean. He led the Ducks in hits last season and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. For a Panthers team that already has plenty of skill up front, adding a reliable veteran on the back end makes sense. Especially one who knows how to play playoff hockey.
Gudas spent the previous two seasons in Anaheim, but before that he played 15 playoff games with the Panthers’ division rival Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s been around. The big question is his health. He’s missed time the last two seasons with various injuries. At 34, that’s a risk.
Greer’s Next Chapter
Greer carved out a solid role in Florida’s bottom six. He’s not a star, but he’s a hard-working forward who can chip in offense and kill penalties. The Ducks are rebuilding and need guys like that to fill out the lineup and mentor younger players. Greer is still young enough to be part of the next competitive window in Anaheim.
Both teams could still make bigger moves this summer. But for now, it’s a clean swap of rights between two players who were likely to test the market anyway. This just gives each side a chance to skip the bidding war.
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