Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks after taking a controversial hit. However, what drew even more attention than the hit itself was the lack of response from his teammates, which quickly sparked criticism from fans and analysts across the hockey world.
Hockey World Blasts Leafs for Not Standing Up for Auston Matthews
The incident occurred midway through the second period when Matthews collided knee-on-knee with Ducks captain Radko Gudas. The hit immediately raised concern as Matthews struggled to get up and had to be helped off the ice by trainer staff and teammate Brandon Carlo while putting very little weight on his left leg.
Officials quickly penalized Gudas, handing him a major penalty for kneeing along with a game misconduct.
Despite the severity of the play, what drew even more attention across the hockey world was the Maple Leafs’ lack of response. Several Toronto players were on the ice at the time: William Nylander, rookie Easton Cowan, Morgan Rielly, and Carlo, but none immediately confronted Gudas while Matthews remained down on the ice.
That moment quickly sparked strong reactions from analysts and fans alike.
NHL analyst Eric Nathan described the play as one of the worst he has seen. “I think this is the most blatant knee-on-knee, intent-to-injure hit I’ve ever seen.” NHL insider Jeff Marek also criticized the lack of pushback from Toronto. “No physical response from the Leafs. As Anthony Stewart’s father says – ‘are you a club or are you a team?'”
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Sportsnet senior columnist Eric Engels echoed similar frustration. “No team just watches its captain get shanked without any response. Hideous hit, very ugly scene thereafter.”
Former NHL player and analyst Carlo Colaiacovo also weighed in. “You would think in a lost season and your captain gets taken out, someone would stand up for him. Let’s hope 34 is ok,” he said.
Teammates Address the Situation
Following the game, Maple Leafs players acknowledged that they should have reacted differently.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly admitted he felt responsible for not stepping in sooner. “It’s on me for not responding earlier to Gudas,” Rielly said.
“Obviously, it’s a dirty hit. I didn’t understand how bad he got him in the moment, but I take full responsibility for not being the first one in there or being in there quicker to respond.”
Nylander also said he did not initially realize the severity of the play. “I didn’t really see the hit… I didn’t know the severity of it, should’ve probably gotten in there.”
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Matthews Breaks Slump Before Injury
Before leaving the game, Matthews had actually scored earlier in the night, ending his 12-game goal drought. The win also helped the Maple Leafs snap their eight-game losing streak, providing a brief positive moment during a difficult stretch.
Previously, Bill Guerin, general manager of the USA men’s national ice hockey team, spoke about Matthews’ leadership style, noting that the star center leads more through his play than through speeches. “A lot of people expect the captain to be this, rah, rah guy,” Guerin said. “Most were not those types of guys… Guys like that, they do their leading on the ice. And I think that’s what Auston is.”
Matthews will be re-evaluated on Friday to determine the extent of the injury. The Maple Leafs will return to action Saturday when they face the Buffalo Sabres.
