Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving is reportedly frustrated with several of the players following the hit that brought Auston Matthews’ season to an early end.
The incident occurred during the Maple Leafs’ 6-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, when Ducks captain Radko Gudas delivered a heavy hit on Matthews. The play quickly became one of the most talked-about moments around the league, not only because of the hit itself but also because no Maple Leafs players immediately stepped in to defend their captain.
General Manager Brad Treliving Reportedly Upset with Maple Leafs’ Response
The hit resulted in a serious injury for Matthews. He suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear along with a quad contusion. It will sideline him for the remainder of the season. Gudas got a five-game suspension the following day. As part of the discipline, the Ducks captain will also forfeit $104,166.65 in salary during the suspension.
Even with the league handing down punishment, much of the discussion afterward focused on the Maple Leafs’ lack of response during the moment. Several Maple Leafs players were on the ice when the hit happened: Brandon Carlo, William Nylander, Easton Cowan, and Morgan Rielly. However, none immediately confronted Gudas while Matthews remained down on the ice.
According to Elliotte Friedman, that lack of response did not sit well with Treliving. “I heard this second hand. So, he wasn’t there. He was out scouting and I heard I don’t know if he was watching the game or he was watching another game and someone told him. I don’t know the details, but I heard he was furious,” Friedman said.
“And I heard he called from the road some of the players involved. Now, I asked what was said and people wouldn’t tell me… They weren’t revealing the conversations, but apparently he called some of the players involved from the road. Like, it was, you know, it’s kind of crazy… His reaction from the road was really something.”
With Matthews officially shut down for the year, the focus for the Maple Leafs now shifts to getting him healthy for the 2026-27 season.
It’s been a rough go for the captain, who finishes this campaign with career lows of 27 goals and 53 points, a fitting reflection of a Maple Leafs team currently stuck near the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
However, the Maple Leafs have found a small positive, picking up 5 points in their last three games while responding to Auston Matthews’ injury.
For now, the group has to try to pull itself together as it gets ready to face the New York Islanders tonight.
