The Official National Hockey League Appreciation Thread

[aurik]

On 3/15/2026 at 1:57 PM, KarateKen said:

Auston Matthews is out for the rest of the season with an MCL tear that he suffered against the Ducks on March 12.  Matthews is the Maple Leafs team captain and arguably the best American born hockey play in the world right now. The injury happened as a result of a cheap shot by Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who collided with Matthews with intent to injure, according to the officials.  Gudas was ejected and has been given a five-game suspension.  Way too short of a suspension.  Gudas has a long history of suspensions, maybe not Tom Wilson long, but long.  This was not a hockey play; it was an intent to injure.  Gudas should have been suspended for much longer, maybe the rest of the season, but no surprise the NHL department of player safety got it wrong, as they often do.  The league should take a long and serious look this offseason for how they hand out punishments like this.  Too often the offender gets off easy.  It's time for an overhaul. 

Goudas should have definitely gotten more than 5 games because of that, but I suspect the CBA requires that he be a repeat offender to a certain degree.