Career
Before playing in the NHL, Gudas played 8 games with Rabat Kladno of the Czech Extraliga and one season with Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
He was drafted 66th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL entry draft. On 9 August 2010, Gudas signed a three-year, $1.8 million entry-level contract to join the Lightning. He was sent down to play for their AHL-affiliates Norfolk Admirals and Syracuse Crunch.
On 19 January 2013, the Lightning called him up and Gudas made his NHL debut in a 3–2 win against the Florida Panthers. On 20 March, Gudas scored his first NHL goal against James Reimer in a 4–2 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. On 6 May, Gudas signed a three-year, $2.975 million contract to stay with the Lightning. Gudas was ejected from a game against the Florida Panthers when he slashed his stick on the Panthers bench after Scottie Upshall sprayed water on him while he was down on the ice.
On 2 March 2015, the Lightning traded Gudas along with a 2015 conditional first-round draft pick and a 2015 third-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Braydon Coburn. On 2 December, the NHL suspended Gudas for three regular season games after he illegally checked Ottawa Senators player Mika Zibanejad in the head during a game. On 23 June 2016, Gudas signed a four-year, $13.4 million contract to stay with the Flyers. On 3 October, he was given a five-minute major penalty, game misconduct, and was ejected from the game after he boarded Jimmy Vesey in a preseason game. Five days later, Gudas made an interference hit on Austin Czarnik in a preseason game against the Boston Bruins and was suspended by the NHL for six games. Czarnik had to leave the game and enter concussion protocol. On 26 October 2017, Gudas was ejected was given both a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct after he targeted the head of Ottawa Senators player Chris Wideman during a hit. On 20 November, the NHL suspended Gudas for ten regular season games without pay after he slashed Winnipeg Jets player Mathieu Perreault in the neck while Perreault was lying on the ice. Shortly after he returned from his suspension, he was criticized for a hit on New Jersey Devils player Kyle Palmieri where he left his feet. Gudas was not suspended for the hit. Palmieri commented on the hit afterwards, saying that Gudas had a history of dirty plays and that he did not deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt.
On 14 June 2019, the Flyers traded Gudas to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Matt Niskanen. He scored 2 goals and recorded 13 assists for 15 points in 63 regular season games for the Capitals.
On 9 October 2020, Gudas signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract to join the Florida Panthers. He played three seasons with the Panthers.
On 1 July 2023, Gudas signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks. While playing for Czechia during the quarterfinal game on 18 February 2026, Gudas laid two hits on Canada's captain and all-time leading scorer Sidney Crosby. The hit injured Crosby and he was forced to miss the rest of the Olympics and part of the NHL season. The hit infuriated Canadian fans. On 13 March, the NHL suspended Gudas for five regular season games after he laid a knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews which torn his medial collateral ligament (MCL). Matthews was forced to miss the rest of the season because of the injury.
On 29 June 2026, the Ducks traded Gudas back to the Florida Panthers in exchange for A. J. Greer.
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Czech Republic