Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Suffers Serious Knee Injury in Collision

Gudas hit results in grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion for Toronto captain

Mar. 13, 2026 at 11:39pm

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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews suffered a serious knee injury after a collision with Anaheim Ducks player Radko Gudas during Thursday night's game. The Maple Leafs announced that Matthews sustained a grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion, which will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season.

Why it matters

Matthews is the Maple Leafs' leading scorer and one of the NHL's top players. His extended absence due to this injury is a major blow to Toronto's playoff hopes, as they will have to find a way to win without their star center.

The details

In the third period of Thursday's game, Gudas delivered a knee-on-knee hit on Matthews, resulting in a major penalty and game misconduct for the Ducks player. Matthews had to be helped off the ice and did not return to the game. Further evaluation revealed the extent of the damage, with the Maple Leafs announcing Matthews will miss the rest of the regular season.

  • The incident occurred during the third period of the Maple Leafs' game against the Ducks on Thursday, March 13, 2026.
  • Gudas had a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday, March 14, 2026 to determine if further discipline is warranted.

The players

Auston Matthews

The captain and leading scorer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the NHL's elite players.

Radko Gudas

The captain of the Anaheim Ducks, who delivered the knee-on-knee hit that injured Matthews.

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What they’re saying

“Losing Auston for the rest of the regular season is a huge blow, but we'll have to find a way to keep pushing forward as a team.”

— Sheldon Keefe, Head Coach, Toronto Maple Leafs (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

The NHL Department of Player Safety will decide on any supplementary discipline for Radko Gudas following his hearing on Friday.

The takeaway

This injury to Auston Matthews is a major setback for the Maple Leafs as they try to secure a playoff spot. The team will need to rally around their injured captain and find a way to win games without their leading scorer if they hope to make a deep postseason run.