Auston Matthews Injured, Gudas Ejected After Intentional Knee-on-Knee

Auston Matthews was forced out of the Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night after a brutal knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas.

Radko Gudas received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Auston Matthews.

Matthews has since left the game 🤕 pic.twitter.com/E8lc8MjvJh
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 13, 2026

"Matthews was in serious distress", as noted by TSN colour commentator Mike Johnson. The captain was in plenty of pain and wasn't putting any weight on the knee at all as he left the ice and headed down the tunnel. There was no update after the game from Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who said Matthews will be examined on Friday and have an MRI in the afternoon.

Gudas was given a game misconduct and a five-minute major for kneeing. NHL Player Safety will have a look at this, but in a disappointing development, it will only be a phone hearing, which means the maximum suspension would be 5 games or fewer.

Gudas had been suspended 4 times in his career prior to Matthews hit

This would not be the first time that Gudas, known around the league as one of the dirtiest players in hockey, has come under fire for injuring an opponent. He has four suspensions already on his record: a 3-game ban for a headshot in 2015, a 6-game punishment for an illegal hit/interference in 2016, a 10-game suspension for a high-sticking/slashing incident in 2017 and a two-game ban in 2019 for high-sticking.

All of this should obviously play into the NHL's potential discipline for this incident. But the fact that it would be a maximum five games is surprising.

Actually a disgusting hit by Gudas.

How is this thug a captain in the NHL? Actually disgraceful.

pic.twitter.com/kueYab8Gez
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) March 13, 2026