Ducks’ Gudas to have a hearing for kneeing Leafs’ Matthews
The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Friday that Anaheim Ducks’ defenseman Radko Gudas will have a hearing for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs’ center Auston Matthews during their game Thursday night.
Anaheim’s Radko Gudas will have a hearing today for kneeing Toronto’s Auston Matthews.
Gudas was ejected from the game after a collision with Matthews late in the second period. Matthews had the puck in the Ducks’ zone when Gudas approached. As the Toronto captain attempted to get out of the way, the Anaheim captain made knee-on-knee contact with him.
Gudas was given a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct. He finished the night with two hits and 15 penalty minutes in 10:09 of ice time.
Matthews would leave the game and not return. He finished the night with a goal and two shots in 13:18 of ice time.
Gudas has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points, averaging 16:38 of ice time in 52 games with the Ducks this season. Now in his 14th season, the 35-year-old Czech defender has 42 goals and 169 assists for 211 points in 881 career regular-season games.
As for Matthews, the 28-year-old forward has 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points in 60 games during the 2025-26 campaign. Through 10 NHL seasons, he 428 goals and 352 assists for 780 points in 689 regular-season games.
The Ducks are 36-26-3 with 75 points in 65 games this season, first in the Pacific Division. As for the Leafs, they’re now 28-27-11 with 67 points in 66 games, eighth in the Atlantic Division.