Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, after getting hit in a knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas. Matthews was ruled out prior to the third period with a lower-body injury.

Gudas stuck his knee out intentionally and clipped Matthews  in the offensive zone during the second period. Matthews immediately crashed to the ice and was assisted off the ice by trainers, after he was initially slow to get up, favouring his left knee.

As a result of the hit, Gudas was issued a five-minute major and game misconduct. Gudas will likely face supplementary discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety. Gudas has been suspended three times during his career, and will likely be considered a repeat offender by the league office, especially considering the intentional nature of his hit on Matthews.

It would be a seismic loss for the Maple Leafs if Matthews missed extended time, or suffered a major injury. Matthews fought through a lingering upper-body injury for the duration of the 2024-25 season, and has battled through lower-body injuries during the 2025-26 campaign. He is the Maple Leafs’ foundational player, and there’s no way to account for his potential omission from the lineup. Matthews is arguably the premier goal-scorer of his generation, and he’s instrumental to all facets of the Maple Leafs’ game, as he’s utilized heavily in defensive zone scenarios.

It’s been a nightmare season for the Maple Leafs, who are currently mired in an eight-game losing streak. A significant injury to Matthews would constitute the worst-case scenario, especially considering that he’s in the prime of his career, while fighting through several ailments over the past two seasons. Matthews has missed seven games this season due to injury, and there’s real concern about his status following the Gudas hit.