Ducks defenceman Gudas given five-game suspension for knee-on-knee hit on Matthews

By Canadian Press on March 13, 2026.

NEW YORK — Anaheim defenceman Radko Gudas was given a five-game suspension by the NHL on Friday for kneeing and injuring Toronto’s Auston Matthews.

Gudas had a hearing with the league’s department of player safety for his hit that injured the Maple Leafs captain in a game on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.

The five-game ban was the maximum that could be levied because his hearing was by phone.

The knee-on-knee hit occurred at 15:47 of the second period of the Ducks’ 6-4 loss. Gudas received a major penalty and game misconduct on the play, which resulted in Matthews exiting the game with a left leg injury.

The Maple Leafs confirmed Friday that Matthews would miss the rest of the season with a Grade 3 tear of his medial collateral ligament. He also suffered a bruised quadriceps muscle.

Gudas will forfeit US$104,166.65 in salary. The money goes to the players’ emergency assistance fund.