Ducks’ Gaucher set to make NHL debut; Gudas out
A veteran is out of action once again, while a youngster is set to step into the spotlight.
On Wednesday night, forward Nathan Gaucher will make his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks when the team takes on the San Jose Sharks, while defenseman Radko Gudas will not be in the lineup.
No Radko Gudas tonight for the Ducks. Nathan Gaucher will make his NHL debut. (Stick taps to Max for all the work he does up in San Jose for Sharks Hockey Digest and NHLdotcom. 🏒) #FlyTogether
Gudas is on the trip with #FlyTogether but won't play
It has been a work in progress for Gaucher to get to this point. He was originally taken by the Ducks in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft. However, after wrapping up his junior career with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, where he won a Memorial Cup in 2023, the Longueuil, Que. native has spent the past two-plus seasons solely with the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
Gaucher has been a secondary scorer in San Diego, posting 25 points during his rookie season in 2023-24, before posting 19 points in 56 games last year. This season, he’s found a little bit of a groove, setting career highs in goals (12) and points (26), good for 10th on the team in scoring.
In 185 AHL appearances, Gaucher has scored 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points. The 22-year-old is in the second season of his three-year, entry-level contract, with the deal carrying an NHL AAV of $1.13 million through the 2026-27 campaign.
Gudas was out with a lower-body injury late last week, but returned to the lineup on Monday night when Anaheim hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gudas wanted to play in the game, more so to take accountability for his action in the first meeting between the two teams, since Gudas knocked Leafs captain Auston Matthews out for the season with a knee-on-knee hit. Gudas, who was suspended for five games for the incident, was the target of Toronto all night long. Along with fighting Max Domi right off the opening face-off, the Czech blueliner was run by Michael Pezzetta, which resulted in Pezzetta receiving a game misconduct, and he got into a sort-of-fight with Jake McCabe.
The Ducks (41-28-5) are atop the Pacific Division, two points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers.