Ducks Defenseman Radko Gudas Could Face Up to Five-Game Suspension
NEW YORK— Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is facing a potential suspension of up to five games following a knee-on-knee hit that injured Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety is scheduled to hold a hearing with Gudas on Friday. Because the hearing will take place via conference call, the league is limited in its ability to impose a suspension exceeding five games.
The incident occurred late in the second period during Thursday night’s game, when Gudas’ left knee collided with Matthews’ left knee, resulting in the 28-year-old star collapsing to the ice in pain. Gudas received a five-minute major penalty and was subsequently ejected from the game. Matthews required assistance from both an athletic trainer and a teammate to exit the rink and did not return to play.
Toronto head coach Craig Berube characterized the hit as a "dirty play." Forward Matthew Knies remarked that Gudas has "done a few of those before in his career." Conversely, Ducks coach Joel Quenneville defended Gudas, asserting that the play was not premeditated but rather a reflexive reaction.
Gudas, a 35-year-old defender standing 6 feet tall and weighing 208 pounds, was previously involved in a controversial play during international competition that resulted in Canadian star Sidney Crosby being sidelined from the Olympics. In that instance, he faced no penalties, and no objections were raised by opposing players.
While Gudas is not considered a repeat offender under the current collective bargaining agreement—which accounts for disciplinary history over the last two years—he does have a history of suspensions from his decade-long NHL career. Between 2015 and 2019, he was suspended four times for various infractions, including a three-game suspension for an illegal check to the head, six games for interference, ten games for slashing, and two games for high-sticking. In total, Gudas has been suspended for 21 games and has forfeited $751,360 in salary. This time, he stands to lose approximately $20,800 for each game of suspension, totaling up to $104,167 if he receives the maximum penalty.
Matthews, who recently captained the U.S. men’s hockey team to its first gold medal since 1980, is now in his tenth season in the NHL and leads the Maple Leafs with 27 goals.
