Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews suffered a major setback during Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Matthews left the game after taking a controversial hit from Ducks captain Radko Gudas, a moment that quickly became one of the biggest talking points around the league.
Now, an NHL insider believes the team’s reaction, or lack of it, could have lasting consequences.
Radko Gudas Hit on Auston Matthews Could Affect Maple Leafs’ Future
The NHL later suspended Gudas for five games after determining his knee-on-knee hit injured Matthews. The Maple Leafs captain reportedly suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.
While the suspension addressed the hit itself, much of the conversation afterward centered on Toronto’s response during the play.
Several Maple Leafs players were on the ice at the time, including William Nylander, Easton Cowan, Morgan Rielly, and Brandon Carlo, but none immediately confronted Gudas while Matthews remained down on the ice.
That reaction drew criticism from fans and analysts, including NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, who suggested the situation could influence how the team is built moving forward. “He hasn’t said anything yet. I don’t want to assume. He hasn’t said anything about this point in time. I think it would be. And there is no question in my mind, that internally it will have ramifications on the future and the construction of the team.”
Friedman added that the reaction around the league and within the organization was strong after the incident. “I mean, I tried to speak to his many people as I could, and there were word like embarrassed, apoplectic about what happened.”
“I heard the players on the ice said that they obviously realized Matthews had been tripped, but they didn’t realize the severity of it. Morgan Rielly came out publicly and said he felt terribly about it, privately he was extremely apologetic,” Friedman said.
There is still uncertainty surrounding Matthews’ recovery timeline, although early signs offer some hope. “Right now, the Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews are hopeful he won’t need surgery. They won’t know probably for a week or two. But they’re hopeful he won’t need it,” he said.
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He added that the key point right now is that even if surgery ends up being necessary, there is currently no concern that it would affect Matthews’ availability for next season. The expectation is that he would recover over the summer and be ready when the new season begins.
The injury brings a difficult end to a challenging season for Matthews. He finished the year with 27 goals and 53 points, both career lows, as Toronto struggled throughout the campaign.
The Maple Leafs now sit last in the Atlantic Division and appear likely to miss the playoffs for the first time in Matthews’ decade-long tenure with the franchise.
