The NHL has handed Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks a five-game suspension following his hit on Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs. This decision has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, especially since Matthews is now sidelined for the rest of the season.
Matthews' agent didn't hold back, criticizing the NHL for what he sees as an inadequate suspension length. And he's not alone. Members of the Maple Leafs are voicing their dissatisfaction as well.
Matthew Knies, a linemate of Matthews, expressed his frustration, saying, “The league could've done a little bit more, especially since our best player and captain is out for the season. It's a huge loss.
Seeing a player like that in so much pain, especially when the offender is a repeat offender, it just doesn’t seem right. We hope they’re making the right decisions.”
Gudas is no stranger to suspensions. His history includes a three-game suspension in 2015 for a hit on Mike Zibanejad, six games in 2016, and ten games in 2017.
He also faced a two-game suspension in 2019 for a high stick on Nikita Kucherov. John Tavares pointed this out, arguing the suspension could have been heftier.
“Could have easily been longer,” Tavares commented. “Auston's out for quite a while, more than five games, so it could’ve been longer. Five games isn’t nothing, but it could have been more.”
Head coach Craig Berube also shared his thoughts on the situation. “We’re losing our captain for the year, and it doesn’t seem like enough.
The guy responsible is a repeat offender. It just doesn’t feel sufficient,” Berube said.
“They have a tough job, and they usually do it well. But obviously, we’re upset because it’s our player involved.”
The Leafs, sitting at 28-27-12 and last in the Atlantic Division, are gearing up to face the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. With Matthews out, they’ll need to rally and find a way to push through the rest of the season.