“There's a lot of frustration”: Connor McDavid shows support for Auston Matthews after NHL's ruling on Radko Gudas' suspension

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has shown his support for Auston Matthews after Radko Gudas’ controversy, which led Matthews to be sidelined from the club due to his lower-body injury. Earlier reports suggest that NHL Player Safety announced the ban on Friday night, shortly after the Maple Leafs said their captain would miss the remainder of the season due to a major lower-body injury.

According to reports, the Anaheim Ducks captain was ejected from the game after a collision with Matthews late in the second period. When Matthews had the puck in the Ducks’ zone, the Maple Leafs captain attempted to get out of the way, and Gudas made a brutal knee-on-knee hit with him.

Following the incident, officials assessed the matter, and Gudas immediately received a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct, resulting in his ejection from the game. According to reports, he will forfeit $104,166.65 in salary during the suspension.

Several players and the head coach of the Leafs have voiced their opinion on the five-game suspension imposed on Gudas. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid has extended support to Matthews.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid publicly backs Auston Matthews

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has publicly backed Auston Matthews and called for a hard look at how the NHL's Safety Department after Radko Gudas’ knee-on-knee hit ended the Toronto Maple Leafs captain’s season and resulted in only a five-game suspension.

Radko Gudas’ knee-on-knee hit ended the Toronto Maple Leafs captain’s season and resulted in only a five-game suspension. Reports suggest Matthews suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion on the knee-on-knee play with Gudas, an injury severe enough to rule him out for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season.

Extending his support, McDavid added, "If every time there's a suspension, everybody complains about it, why don't we take a look at the process and figure out if there's a better way to make sure both parties are happy? It seems like there's a lot of frustration there.”


As per reports, both McDavid and Matthews share the same player agent, so it's natural McDavid would have Matthews' back. Earlier, Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, said in a statement that the league’s ruling was “laughable and preposterous.”

“In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am very disappointed and shocked that the league would allow for such a ruling. A phone hearing and five games is just laughable and preposterous. While the process is pre-fixed in our CBA, that there was no further discipline is a reckless and ridiculous position for player safety,” the agent added.

Moreover, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube shared his strong dissatisfaction with the NHL's five-game suspension handed to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. Berube opposed the misconduct and called the hit a “dirty play,” but the Ducks' head coach, Joel Quenneville, said there was no intent on Gudas’ part.


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