In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start with Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks, who has returned from his suspension, but may not suit up against the Toronto Maple Leafs this week. Next, the Philadelphia Flyers are nearing the signing of Porter Martone, who is one of the top prospects outside of the NHL. Finally, we finish with the Ottawa Senators, who were forced to turn to backup James Reimer as Linus Ullmark was unavailable.
Gudas Injured, Still Wants to Play Maple Leafs
During Mar. 26’s game against the Calgary Flames, Gudas delivered a hit in the corner, and when falling to the ice, landed on his ankle awkwardly, and was later spotted in a walking boot.
Mar. 30 will be the first matchup between the Ducks and Maple Leafs since Gudas delivered a knee-on-knee hit, ending Auston Matthews’ season and earning himself a five-game suspension. During the Ducks’ game against the Edmonton Oilers on Mar. 28, Gudas was seen in a boot again and did not play during the game.
During his Saturday Headlines segment, Elliotte Friedman reported that Gudas would like to play no matter what.
Friedman stated, “Whether you call it the code, or you call it the sportsman’s way of doing things, he recognizes that the Maple Leafs want a piece of him, and he wants to play…now, he’s supposed to see the doctors on Sunday and will see what they have to say.
He then added, “But Gudas has apparently made his feelings very clear – he wants to play.”
There are a lot of adjectives used to describe Gudas and his play style, but one thing that most can agree on is his willingness to battle hard and physically. The expectation for the Mar. 30 matchup is that he will have to answer for his hit on the opposing captain. Whether that be targeting him with more hits, a fight, or whatever else, he would be ready for it.
Flyers Gearing Up for Martone Signing
It is always a bittersweet time when the NCAA season wraps up. Many players have big decisions to make about their future, and whether to turn pro or stay another college season has to be a quick decision.
Martone was selected sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and as a freshman in the NCAA, finished fourth in league scoring with 25 goals and 50 points.
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After dominating in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Martone was one of the players to opt to play in the NCAA, which offers a different challenge, which seems to have been a great decision for his development.
As the Flyers begin their final stretch of games, they sit just three points out of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games to go. They are certainly within reach, and Martone would jump into the NHL and immediately get a taste of meaningful NHL games.
The Flyers are already pretty flooded on the wings, but Martone will come in and add to that. With Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett looked at as the older players on their wings, they are full of talented youth like Matvei Michkov, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey, too. Martone will come in and challenge for a spot high up in the lineup.
Ullmark Unavailable for Senators’ Critical Game
There has been plenty of discourse involving Ullmark this season. The Senators have been playing incredibly, but their goaltending hasn’t been good enough this season. Since taking a leave of absence and returning at the end of January, Ullmark has been playing his best stretch of hockey of the season.
While the Senators have earned a number of wins despite sub-par goaltending, Ullmark was the one to steal them a point in the club’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the next game, Mar. 28’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, many were puzzled by the decision to go with Reimer.
Reimer has played well when called upon, so having him to turn to wasn’t the biggest concern, but fans and media were wondering where Ullmark was.
After the game, head coach Travis Green told reporters, “I want to play Linus every night. But he needed a rest and he wasn’t available to start tonight.”
Considering the tough stretch of hockey the Senators are in, and the 38-shot showing from the Penguins, having him rest a game is fair. Especially when the backup can be trusted.
Where some concern is coming from is Ullmark’s comments after the loss to the Penguins. He stated, “Now we’re getting into the heat of the moment where boys will be men…time to rise to the occasion.”
Some fans are suggesting that making a comment like that and asking for a rest day on the next game doesn’t add up. On top of that, his $8.25 million salary is high enough that he should be available when the team needs him.
