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Maple Leafs unlikely to sign Radko Gudas.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to overhaul their roster this offseason, but they are unlikely to sign one defenseman the team is linked to.

NHL insider Kevin Weekes linked the Maple Leafs to signing former Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas on July 1.

“Per sources, I’m told Anaheim Ducks captain Radio Gudas is gaining interest in the marketplace. If him & Ducks can’t get a deal done, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are among potential fits. He’s a physical, experienced, playoff-tested, on a 2-3Yr term between 3.5M-4M+AAV,” Weekes wrote on X.

However, the Maple Leafs ended up doing a sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh to bolster the blue line. But, Gudas is more of a shutdown and physical defenseman who can bolster the backend.

Yet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on his 32 Thoughts The Podcast on June 22 that Gudas’ signing in Toronto seems unlikely.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Friedman said.

Gudas signing in Toronto seemed like an odd fit, especially after he ended Auston Matthews’ season last year, and it caused quite the controversy in Toronto. So, him joining that locker room felt like an odd fit, and Friedman doesn’t expect it to happen.

Maple Leafs Were Frustrated About Gudas’ Hit

After Gudas did a knee-on-knee hit on Matthews, which ended his season, the Maple Leafs didn’t respond.

No Maple Leafs players went after Gudas and started a scrum, and defenseman Morgan Rielly took responsibility for it.

“Myself and the other people on the ice have to take responsibility for not being in there earlier. I certainly do. I take it all,” Rielly said.

Then Maple Leafs coach, Craig Berube, meanwhile, was angry that his team didn’t do anything.

“We should’ve had four guys in there, doing something about it,” Berube said. “We all would’ve liked everybody to get in there right away.”

That ended up being one of the Maple Leafs’ lowest points of the season, which is why Gudas joining Toronto felt odd.

Toronto Bet Big on Darren Raddysh

The Maple Leafs’ first big addition to the roster was acquiring Raddysh.

Raddysh quarterbacked Tampa’s power play and has a rocket of a shot, which Maple Leafs GM John Chayka believes will help Toronto a lot.

“He’s a player that plays up against top competition, does quite well. He is a player that breaks the puck out well. He’s a player that can join the rush and supplement offence, transitions well, defends the blue line well,” Chayka told reporters on a Zoom call.

“Gave us a lot of confidence that we’re getting a defenceman that we haven’t had in this organization for a long time, and … for us, it’s an aggressive move. It’s not without risk, of course. But we just felt that, given the stage we’re at and what he brings to the table, felt it was worth pursuing.”

Raddysh is the first major addition to a Maple Leafs team that will look much different next season, as the draft begins on Friday and free agency begins on July 1.