The Toronto Maple Leafs entered this season expecting another competitive year in the Atlantic Division. Instead, the campaign has slowly moved in the opposite direction as losses and roster issues piled up, and they have struggled to keep pace in the standings.
Now, a major injury to the team’s captain adds another concern as the season approaches its final stretch.
Auston Matthews Ruled Out for Season After Knee Injury Against Anaheim Ducks
The Maple Leafs confirmed that captain Auston Matthews will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 NHL season because of a serious knee injury.
The team announced that Matthews suffered a Grade 3 tear of the medial collateral ligament along with a quad contusion in his left knee during a game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
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The injury occurred during the second period when Matthews attempted to move away from contact near the slot while Ducks defenseman and captain Radko Gudas closed in. The play resulted in knee-to-knee contact, and Matthews immediately fell on the ice in pain. He struggled to put pressure on his left leg as a teammate and a team trainer helped him get off the ice.
After reviewing the incident, the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Gudas for five games.
The following day, Toronto provided a medical update on X. The statement read, “The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that captain Auston Matthews sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion on March 12 during the second period of the team’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.”
The team said Matthews will be re-evaluated in about two weeks, but the injury already rules him out for the final 16 regular-season games and any possible postseason play. His absence removes the team’s top center while the Maple Leafs sit outside the playoff race.
Before the injury, Matthews recorded 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points in 60 games this season. Those totals represent the lowest offensive output of his 10-season NHL career. He had ended a 12-game goalless stretch shortly before his exit in the game against Anaheim.
Toronto’s season had already been difficult before the injury. The Maple Leafs hold a 28-27-11 record and currently sit last in the Atlantic Division standings. Defensive struggles have been a major concern, as the team allows 3.49 goals per game, one of the highest totals in the league.
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Recent results have also pushed the team further down the standings. Toronto went through an eight-game losing streak after the Olympic break, including losses to the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Florida Panthers.
The current season looks very different compared with Toronto’s results in recent years. The team recorded 108 points in 2024-25, 102 in 2023-24, 111 in 2022-23, and 115 in 2021-22.
With Matthews now sidelined, the Maple Leafs must complete the final weeks of the schedule without their captain. The remaining games may also give the organization a clearer picture if they miss the playoffs and begin preparing for the next season.
