Ducks Captain Gudas Faces Suspension for Knee-on-Knee Hit on Leafs' Matthews

Gudas' history of suspensions could lead to lengthy ban for reckless play that injured Toronto's star center.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:38am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas is facing potential disciplinary action from the NHL's Department of Player Safety after a knee-on-knee hit that injured Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews during Thursday night's game. Gudas received a major penalty and game misconduct for the reckless play, which left Matthews unable to return. The league will likely consider Gudas' history of suspensions, which includes four previous bans, when determining the length of any new suspension.

Why it matters

Gudas has developed a reputation as one of the NHL's hardest hitters, but his aggressive style has also led to a number of dangerous and illegal plays over the years. This latest incident involving an injury to a star player like Matthews could prompt the league to hand down a significant suspension, which would be a blow to the Ducks' playoff hopes as they try to end an eight-year postseason drought.

The details

In the second period, Gudas stuck out his left leg and caught Matthews in a knee-on-knee collision as the Leafs center was driving to the net. Matthews immediately went down and had to be helped off the ice, unable to put any weight on his left leg. Gudas was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and the Leafs scored twice on the ensuing power play en route to a 6-4 victory.

  • The incident occurred during the second period of Thursday night's game between the Ducks and Leafs.
  • Gudas was suspended for 10 games in 2017 for slashing Mathieu Perreault in the neck.

The players

Radko Gudas

The captain of the Anaheim Ducks, Gudas is known as one of the NHL's most physical and hard-hitting players, but has also developed a reputation for dangerous and reckless plays that have resulted in multiple suspensions over his career.

Auston Matthews

The captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Matthews is one of the league's elite centers and a perennial Hart Trophy candidate. He was forced to leave Thursday's game after Gudas' knee-on-knee hit and his status for the Leafs' upcoming games is uncertain pending further evaluation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“That's a dirty play. The league's going to obviously look at it and see what the suspension will be or whatever happens.”

— Craig Berube, Maple Leafs Head Coach (nytimes.com)

“It's a garbage hit from a player who has a reputation for doing these kinds of things. It's been something that has followed Radko Gudas around. He has a tendency to stick his knee out or put himself in a position where he can hurt a player in a vulnerable position ... That's no way to play defense.”

— Frankie Corrado, TSN Analyst (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The NHL's Department of Player Safety will review the incident and determine the length of any suspension for Radko Gudas, with his history of previous suspensions likely to be a significant factor in their decision.

The takeaway

This latest dangerous play by Radko Gudas underscores the need for the NHL to take a strong stance against reckless hits that put star players at risk of serious injury. Gudas' pattern of suspendable offenses suggests the league may need to consider more severe punishments to curb this type of behavior and protect player safety.