Ducks' Radko Gudas Suspension for Auston Matthews Hit Revealed

The NHL Department of Player Safety is not playing around as of late, as they have now handed out multi-game suspensions twice in the past couple weeks. They handed one out not long ago to Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in the neck.

Now, they are handing out one to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas for purposely sticking his knee out and knocking Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews out of the game. Now, Matthews is out for the rest of the season.

Anaheim’s Radko Gudas has been suspended for five games for kneeing Toronto’s Auston Matthews. https://t.co/jBq3cksIMt
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 14, 2026

The Maple Leafs are not likely to make the playoffs this year due to just having one of those years. But the fact that Gudas did it on purpose for no reason at all, says a lot about the situation and what kind of player Gudas is.

And Matthews' agent came out with a statement after it was revealed that the max suspension that Gudas could get for the hit was five games. When the player that you intentionally injured's agent comes out with a statement, Gudas should have known that he messed up by doing what he did to Matthews.

Auston Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, calls the five-game suspension given to Radko Gudas by @NHLPlayerSafety "laughable and preposterous" when asked for comment: pic.twitter.com/c5GsAaNwAG
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 14, 2026

The NHL's Department of Player Safety needs to keep it consistent with these suspensions. Especially the ones like this and the one on Malkin, where the intent was to injure and both players got what they absolutely deserved.

Gudas should have been suspended for the rest of the year, but he got the maximum from his hearing

The hit that Gudas laid on Matthews arguably could have been enough to suspend him for the rest of the season and the playoffs if the Ducks get there. But when it was revealed that the hearing that Gudas was receiving was a phone hearing, the max was five games.

Gudas should have had an in-person hearing, where it could have been way more than five games. There is absolutely no place in hockey at all for a hit like that.

Matthews was not long removed from winning a gold medal with Team USA and was trying to finish the season strong with the Maple Leafs, but the team revealed that Matthews has a Grade 3 MCL Tear and a quad contusion.

Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) skates against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Gudas and others need to be more considerate of their peers on the ice moving forward. There is no need for these hits, and if it continues, the Department of Player Safety needs to hand out way heftier bans.

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