Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving wasn't surprised when the NHL handed Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas a five-game suspension. However, Treliving felt the punishment didn't quite fit the crime, especially after Gudas' knee-on-knee hit ended Leafs captain Auston Matthews' season.
Following the NHL's decision, Treliving had a candid conversation with NHL Department of Player Safety head George Parros. Speaking to TSN at the NHL GMs meetings in Florida, Treliving expressed his disappointment: “I’ve made my feelings clear to George. It’s a tough job, but given the hit, the injury, and Gudas’ history, we expected a heftier suspension.”
Gudas, notorious for his rough play, faced his fifth suspension from the NHL, the first since 2019. Treliving, while respecting the process, clearly hoped for a more substantial penalty, reflecting the severity of the incident.