Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews suffered a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during a game against the Anaheim Ducks, ending his season. The injury occurred after a knee-on-knee hit from defenseman Radko Gudas, who was subsequently suspended for five games by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
Key Takeaways
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews suffered a torn MCL during a game against the Anaheim Ducks, ending his season. Radko Gudas was suspended for five games after delivering a knee-on-knee hit that injured Matthews.
- Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has a Grade 3 MCL tear and will miss the rest of the NHL season
- Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for the hit, his fifth in 14 seasons
- The incident occurred during a game against the Anaheim Ducks, with just over four minutes left in the second period
- Matthews' agent criticized the suspension as inadequate and called for better player safety measures
- Matthews had snapped a 12-game goal drought earlier in the game
The incident took place with just over four minutes left in the second period of Thursday night's game, which Toronto won 6-4. Matthews, attempting to make a move around Gudas in the slot, took a direct blow to his left leg and crashed to the ice. The U.S. Olympic captain stayed down before being helped to the locker room.
The NHL announced Gudas' suspension after a phone hearing with him earlier Friday. This is Gudas' fifth suspension in 14 seasons and his first since 2019. He forfeits $104,167 in salary and will miss games against Ottawa, Montreal, Philadelphia, Utah, and Buffalo.
Matthews' agent Judd Moldaver criticized the suspension as inadequate, calling it "laughable and preposterous." Moldaver expressed disappointment with the player safety department's decision. Matthews had snapped a 12-game goal drought earlier in the game on a power play. He had 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games this season.
Gudas, known for his physical style of play, has a history of suspensions. Between 2015-19, he was suspended four times: three games for an illegal check to the head, six for interference, 10 for slashing, and two for high-sticking. Adding this time, Gudas has been suspended for 26 games and docked $855,527 in salary.
Matthews last month captained the U.S. to its first men's hockey gold medal at the Olympics since 1980. The Maple Leafs will now face a significant challenge as they continue their season without their star player.
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