Ducks Defenseman Could Miss 5 Games for Hit on Maple Leafs Star Matthews

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas will have a disciplinary hearing Friday after his knee-to-knee hit injured Toronto captain Auston Matthews during Thursday's game. The veteran defender could face up to five games suspended, with Matthews requiring help to leave the ice and not returning to play.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas could be sidelined for as many as five games following a knee-to-knee collision that injured Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews during Thursday night’s matchup.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has scheduled a disciplinary hearing for Gudas on Friday. Since the meeting will be conducted via conference call rather than through an in-person or Zoom session, league rules limit any potential suspension to a maximum of five games.

The controversial incident occurred with approximately four minutes remaining in the second period, when Gudas’s left knee collided with Matthews’s left knee, causing the 28-year-old American superstar to collapse on the ice in obvious discomfort.

Officials assessed Gudas a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct. Matthews required support from both a trainer and teammate to exit the playing surface and was unable to continue in the contest.

Toronto head coach Craig Berube characterized the hit as intentionally dirty, while forward Matthew Knies noted that Gudas has “done a few of those before in his career.” Anaheim’s coach Joel Quenneville came to his player’s defense, arguing the contact wasn’t premeditated and resulted from instinctive reactions.

The 35-year-old Czech defender, who stands 6 feet tall and weighs 208 pounds, previously played a role in the incident that sidelined Canada’s Sidney Crosby during Olympic competition. However, no penalty was called on that play, and opposing teams didn’t publicly criticize Gudas’s involvement.

While Gudas doesn’t qualify as a repeat offender under current collective bargaining terms, which only consider disciplinary actions from the previous two years, his NHL career includes multiple suspensions. Between 2015 and 2019, he received four separate suspensions: three games for an illegal head check, six for interference, 10 for slashing, and two for high-sticking.

Those previous suspensions totaled 21 games and cost Gudas $751,360 in forfeited salary. Any suspension from this incident would cost him approximately $20,800 per game, potentially reaching $104,167 if he receives the maximum five-game penalty.

Matthews recently led Team USA to its first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal since 1980. The Arizona-born forward is currently in his 10th NHL season and tops the Maple Leafs’ scoring with 27 goals.