IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Radko Gudas has evolved from the rambunctious young defenseman whose vicious hits led to a cool hockey nickname and a less cool reputation as one of the NHL's dirtier players.

Gudas is still known as “The Butcher,” but he's now a steady, productive veteran who plays the game much cleaner and smarter these days.

And in the biggest milestone yet in this transformation, the 34-year-old Czech defenseman was named the captain of the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

On the first day of training camp, the Ducks chose Gudas to be their first captain since Ryan Getzlaf's retirement two seasons ago.

“I'm really thrilled that the guys think of me in this way,” Gudas said. “I want to help guys and lead in the right way. It’s a tremendous honor, and I want to do everything possible in my power to help everybody and be the right person that they need me to be.”

Gudas joined Anaheim a year ago as a free agent. He had six goals, 12 assists and 128 penalty minutes last season while providing leadership for the Ducks' talented young core. He'll try to do the same this season with the “C” on his shoulder as Anaheim attempts to get back in the Western Conference playoffs for the first time since 2018.

The Ducks are the fifth NHL team for Gudas, who moved to North America as a teenager. He also won a gold medal with the Czech Republic at the world championships this summer.

Early in his career with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, Gudas had a reputation as a feisty defenseman who regularly delivered questionable hits leading to league scrutiny and condemnation from opponents. Gudas got older and wiser while his NHL career progressed through Washington and Florida before he joined the Ducks.

“I think it took a lot of mistakes, a lot of learning,” Gudas said. “A lot of hurdles in my way that I had to overcome and stay strong. Being around great leaders, and being around great teammates in the locker room, helped me grow as a person and a player to overcome those things and understand what it means to be a great leader and a great team player and help guys in certain situations on and off the ice. Those are things that I really cherish.”

Gudas is the Ducks' ninth captain and their first European captain since Teemu Selanne, who served as co-captain with Paul Kariya during the 1997-98 season.

The Ducks spent the past two seasons without a captain for the first time in team history following the retirement of Getzlaf, who had been their captain for 12 seasons since 2010. The playmaking center was by far Anaheim’s longest-serving captain.

Gudas’ appointment by general manager Pat Verbeek and second-year head coach Greg Cronin establishes a more traditional leadership structure for the Ducks, who have missed the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, the longest drought in team history.

“Pat and I have talked about our team has to have this relentless mentality, and I think what player better personifies that than Radko?” Cronin asked. “He has this image where he’s this ferocious player, intimidating. And he’s got the beard, so he’s got the look that backs up his play. I knew within my (first) conversations with him that he was just a good guy. He’s just a really nice person, a nice guy.”

Anaheim went with a series of alternate captains instead for the past two seasons, most prominently veteran defenseman Cam Fowler, who has been with the Ducks for his entire NHL career since 2010.

“Radko emerged as a natural leader who encompasses all of the qualities of a captain and the respect of his teammates, our staff and his peers,” Verbeek said in a statement. “With a young group of players establishing themselves in the NHL, we felt it was necessary to have a veteran lead our team.”

Anaheim lost a franchise-record 50 games in regulation last season while finishing seventh in the Pacific Division. The Ducks haven't finished higher than sixth in the division since 2018, the year of their last playoff appearance.

Gudas is the sixth player from the Czech Republic to be named an NHL captain. He joins Peter Stastny (Quebec, 1985-90), Jaromir Jagr (Pittsburgh, 1998-01, and New York Rangers, 2006-08), Patrik Elias (New Jersey, 2006-07), Bobby Holik (Atlanta, 2007-08) and Milan Hejduk (Colorado, 2011-12).

The Ducks open the regular season Oct. 12 at San Jose. Their home opener is Oct. 16 against Utah.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press