HIGHLIGHTS
- Auston Matthews left Thursday’s game with lower-body injury after hit from Radko Gudas
- Gudas ejected with five-minute major for kneeing and game misconduct
- See video of the hit and Leafs’ lack of response below
Auston Matthews’ injury-plagued season took another hit Thursday night.
The Toronto Maple Leafs captain left the game against Anaheim with a lower-body injury after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas late in the second period. Matthews stayed down on the ice in visible pain before hobbling to the locker room.
The Leafs ruled Matthews out for the remainder of the game. He had 13:18 of ice time across 14 shifts with two shots on goal.
Gudas was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct. The major was upheld after review.
The Hit
Matthews had the puck in the slot and tried to sidestep Gudas around the 15:47 mark of the second period. As Matthews lunged to evade contact, Gudas stuck out his leg and caught the Toronto center’s left knee.
Matthews went down immediately and stayed on the ice while trainers attended to him.
Check out the knee-on-knee hit:
Radko Gudas received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Auston Matthews.
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 13, 2026
Matthews has since left the game 🤕 pic.twitter.com/E8lc8MjvJh
No Response From Leafs
Not a single Maple Leafs player confronted Gudas after the hit. Morgan Rielly started skating toward the Ducks defenseman but stopped short.
The lack of response drew immediate criticism on social media. Matthews is the team captain, and Toronto didn’t even challenge Gudas verbally, let alone physically.
The Leafs did capitalize on the ensuing power play. John Tavares scored his 23rd goal of the season to tie the game at three. Toronto had trailed 2-0 at one point.
Another Injury for Matthews
Matthews had just snapped a 12-game goal drought earlier in the period with a power-play tally. It was his 27th goal of the season.
This marks the latest setback in a brutal season for the 28-year-old. Matthews has battled multiple injuries throughout 2025-26.
Matthews’ 2025-26 Injury Timeline
| Date | Injury | Details |
|---|---|---|
| November 11 | Lower-body (IR) | Hit from behind by Nikita Zadorov, missed ~1 week |
| December 29 | Lower-body | Blocked shot vs Detroit, missed 1 game |
| February 2026 | Olympics hit | Big hit during Olympics, avoided injury |
| March 12 | Lower-body | Knee-on-knee from Radko Gudas, status TBD |
Matthews dealt with a lingering upper-body issue throughout the entire 2024-25 season that limited him to career-lows of 33 goals and 78 points in 67 games. He traveled to Munich for treatment and entered this season saying he felt “100 percent.”
Through 59 games this year, Matthews has 27 goals and 53 points. He’s well off the pace that led to his career-high 69 goals and 107 points during the 2023-24 season.
Gudas’ History
This is the second time Gudas has injured a superstar captain this season. The Ducks defenseman knocked Sidney Crosby out of the 2026 Winter Olympics last month with a controversial hit.
Gudas has been suspended four times during his 14-year NHL career. His most recent ban came in 2019. He’s registered 100-plus hits in all but one season and has built a reputation for physical play that often crosses the line.
Even some Ducks fans have called for Anaheim to strip Gudas of the captaincy after the hit on Matthews.
The Leafs entered Thursday’s game on an eight-game losing streak after returning from the Olympic break. Toronto has a back-to-back weekend coming up with games against Buffalo on Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday.
More should be known about Matthews’ status before then. The team hasn’t provided a timeline for his return.
