Maple Leafs Lose Auston Matthews for Season After Injury

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is out for the season after suffering a serious injury.

Mar 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates against the New York Rangers during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after being diagnosed with a Grade 3 Medial Collateral Ligament, or MCL, tear and a quad contusion.

This injury came in Toronto's 6-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks in a knee-on-knee collision with Ducks captain Radko Gudas late in the second period. Gudas received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct and Matthews was unable to return to the game.

Radko Gudas received a 5-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for this knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews. #FlyTogether #LeafsForever
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— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) March 13, 2026

On March 13, it was announced that Gudas would have a phone hearing at some point before the end of the day to receive up to a five-game suspension and/or a fine.

Anaheim’s Radko Gudas will have a hearing today for kneeing Toronto’s Auston Matthews.

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 13, 2026

Matthews received an MRI evaluation to determine the extent of the damage, revealing that the tear was a grade 3 -- the most severe classification of the injury. The team confirmed that Matthews will be out for the season, with the expectation that he will be reevaluated in two-weeks to monitor his recovery.

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— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 13, 2026

The loss of Matthews in the lineup removes one of Toronto's biggest offensive assets. His season being cut short is a big blow to a team that recently sent forward Bobby McMann to Seattle in exchange for a second-round and a fourth-round pick. Matthews' season ended with 53 points, 27 goals and 26 assists, over 60 games. In addition to his accomplishments in the NHL this season, Matthews also brought home a gold medal with Team USA in this year's Winter Olympic Games. During the games, he scored three goals and assisted on four over six games.

Gudas' Disciplinary History

This incident has once again garnered scrutiny surrounding the NHL's Department of Player Safety, or DoPS. This is just one instance of Gudas delivering a dangerous blow to a fellow player. He has previously been suspended four times, missing a total of 21 games and losing out on more than $750,000 in salary.

His previous suspensions have been as follows:
- 10 games on November 19, 2017 for slashing Winnipeg Jets' Mathieu Perreault in the neck, forfeiting $408,536.60 in salary.
- Six games on October 16, 2016 for a high hit against Boston Bruins' Austin Czarnik, forfeting $245,121.96 in salary.
- Three games on December 2, 2015 for an illegal check to the head of New York Rangers' Mika Zibanejad, forfeiting $15,994.62 in salary.
- Two games on February 20, 2019 for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightnings' Nikita Kucherov, forfeiting $81,707.32 in salary.

Gudas also delivered a hit during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games that injured Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who has also been revealed to have a Grade 2 MCL Tear.

Now, Toronto must adjust without it's franchise cornerstone. Matthews' focus will shift to recovery and rehabilitation, while the Maple Leafs are left hoping they can withstand the loss of their captain and remain competitive without one of the league's most dominant players.

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