What happened to Auston Matthews after Gudas hit?

The play, the immediate aftermath and the questions left open

Auston Matthews left Toronto’s game after a knee‑on‑knee collision with Anaheim defenseman Radko Gudas. Officials assessed a five‑minute major and a game misconduct to the Ducks defender, ejecting him from the contest. Matthews was helped off the ice and taken to the locker room for further evaluation.

The match produced an immediate reaction inside and outside the rink. Teammates and coaches expressed concern about the captain’s condition, and the Maple Leafs faced scrutiny for how staff and players responded on the ice. One teammate publicly took responsibility for not intervening more forcefully on the play. Meanwhile, commentators called attention to Gudas’s history of similar hits and urged the league’s Department of Player Safety to review the incident for supplemental discipline.

Key facts and next steps

• The on‑ice penalty: a five‑minute major plus game misconduct was assessed; the defending player was ejected.
• Medical clarity: the team moved Matthews to the locker room for assessment; no full public medical timeline was provided immediately after the game.
• League review and team fallout: the hit prompted calls for an NHL review and generated debate about repeat offenders and appropriate suspensions.

What remains uncertain

It’s still unclear how long Matthews will be sidelined or what the official injury diagnosis will be until the team releases a medical update. Likewise, any supplemental discipline from the league will depend on its review of the play and the player’s prior history.