Will Radko Gudas face an NHL suspension after a brutal knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews?

Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas is on the verge of getting a possible suspension from the NHL Player Safety Department after delivering a knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs during Thursday night’s game. Following the incident, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Friday that Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas will have a hearing for kneeing the Toronto Maple Leafs center.

This brutal attack on Matthews has led to a lower-body injury, prompting the player to miss a few crucial upcoming matches. Meanwhile, several NHL analysts and the Leafs have expressed their angst over the brutal hit on Matthews. They have condemned the misconduct and demanded strict action against the player.

But will Radko Gudas face a suspension? If so, how long will he be suspended by the league? Let's take a closer look at it.

Radko Gudas to face a possible suspension for hitting Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews

The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced on Friday that Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas will have a hearing for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews during their game Thursday night. Following the incident, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube called the hit a “dirty play” and urged the league to review the incident.

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

Officials assessed that Gudas received a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct, resulting in his ejection from the game, on Thursday night.


Meanwhile, NHL analyst Frankie Corrado commented that he has a strong feeling about how long Gudas should be suspended for. Corrado said, “It was a garbage hit; (Radko Gudas) should be suspended for a long time.” He further predicted that, considering how the NHL Player Safety Department operates, there is a high possibility that he could get at least a five-game suspension.

As per Corrado, a more than five-game suspension would be sufficient for Gudas' penalty. Besides, it is also unknown at this time how long Matthews will be out for with the lower-body injury. It is to be noted that the Maple Leafs captain has scored 53 points with 27 goals and 26 assists.

However, if the NHL Player Safety department does not take strict action against the player and if Gudas is not suspended for a long time, it will fail to deliver player safety to the professionals.



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