The Anaheim Ducks traded A.J. Greer to the Florida Panthers on Monday, sending the 29-year-old forward back to a team that won the Stanley Cup with him in 2025. Florida gave up Radko Gudas in the swap, a move that changes both rosters now and sets up a new decision for each club before the week is out.
Greer is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He finished with 17 goals, 15 assists and 32 points in 78 regular-season games, all career highs, and he now has 81 points in 326 regular-season games and three points in 16 playoff games overall. For Florida, the appeal is immediate: the Panthers added a player who has already shown he can produce in their system, even if he is another potential unrestricted free agent.
That is the tradeoff in this deal. Florida is not only bringing back a familiar forward; it is also taking on the possibility that Greer could reach free agency if no contract is done first. General manager Pat Verbeek said the Panthers hope to sign him to a contract and are looking forward to what he can bring, which makes the move look less like a rental gamble and more like a test of whether they can keep a useful scorer in place beyond the deadline.
Gudas gives the Ducks a different kind of value. He is 36, played 56 regular-season games for Anaheim last season and had 13 points, then added no points in one Stanley Cup Playoff game. He also brings a long track record, with 211 points in 885 regular-season games and 10 points in 58 playoff games, plus a return to Florida after three seasons there from 2020-23, when he helped the Panthers advance to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
The timing matters because Gudas can become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday. Verbeek said Gudas captained the Ducks with heart and soul over the last two seasons while making a strong impact in the community, a parting note that fits a player who was named the ninth captain in Ducks history on Sept. 19, 2024 after signing on July 1, 2023. For Greer, the next step is simpler on paper and harder in practice: prove Monday's trade was not just a short-term swing, but the start of another run in Florida.
