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6d ago

NHL Suspends Radko Gudas 5 Games After Knee-on-Knee Hit That Ends Auston Matthews’ Season

Toronto calls the punishment too light, with Matthews set for a two-week re-evaluation.

Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks at an injured Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) after he delivered a knee on knee hit during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) gets set for a face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Overview

  • The Maple Leafs confirmed Auston Matthews sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion and will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season.
  • After a phone hearing, the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Anaheim’s Radko Gudas for five games and said he will forfeit $104,166.65.
  • In its rationale, Player Safety said Gudas led with an extended knee, was in control of the play, and caused a dangerous, direct knee-on-knee collision.
  • Head coach Craig Berube and multiple Maple Leafs players called the hit dirty, and Berube criticized his team for not responding immediately on the ice.
  • Matthews’ agent Judd Moldaver denounced the five-game ban as “laughable and preposterous,” as Toronto’s already faint playoff hopes take a further hit.