Ducks captain Radko Gudas has been suspended for five games for his knee-to-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews during the second period of Thursday’s game. Gudas was assessed a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and given a game misconduct. Matthews left the game and did not return.
On Friday, the Leafs announced that Matthews sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion. Though he will be re-evaluated in two weeks, he will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) leaves the ice after being ejected from the game for a hit on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (not pictured) during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
This hit comes just weeks after Gudas’ hit on Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby during the 2026 Winter Olympics, which resulted in a Grade 2 MCL sprain for Crosby. While Gudas’ hit on Crosby was fair and legal, his hit on Matthews was anything but.
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This is the fifth time that Gudas has been suspended by the NHL and his first time since 2019, when he was suspended two games for high sticking the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov.
Gudas has had two longer suspensions in his NHL career. He was suspended 10 games in 2017 for slashing the Winnipeg Jets’ Mathieu Perreault across the neck and suspended six games in 2016 for a late, high hit on the Boston Bruins’ Austin Czarnik.
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
A phone hearing between Gudas and the NHL Department Player of Safety was held on Friday. Phone hearings carry a maximum suspension of five games, whereas an in-person hearing would have allowed for a longer suspension.
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Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson has been targeting Saturday versus the Ottawa Senators or Sunday versus the Montréal Canadiens for his Ducks debut. With Gudas out, Drew Helleson will likely remain in the lineup and Ian Moore, who lined up as a winger in Thursday’s game, will also likely return to the blue line for this weekend’s pair of games.
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