Many of the Toronto Maple Leafs feel that Radko Gudas’ five-game suspension for his knee-on-knee hit that ended Auston Matthews’ season wasn’t severe enough.

NHL Player Safety announced the ban Friday night, shortly after the Maple Leafs said their captain would miss the remainder of the season with a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion suffered on Gudas’ hit in Thursday’s 6-4 win.

“Looking at it, we lose our guy, our captain for the year, I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like enough for me … guy doing it is a repeat offender, it just doesn’t seem like enough,” head coach Craig Berube said via TSN’s Mark Masters.

Craig Berube on Radko Gudas getting five games for the knee on Auston Matthews:

“Looking at it, we lose our guy, our captain for the year, I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like enough for me … guy doing it is a repeat offender, it just doesn’t seem like enough”@TSN_Sports

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 14, 2026

John Tavares agreed, saying the penalty “could’ve been longer.”

“I believe Auston’s been ruled out for quite a while, right, so it’s going to be more than five games what he’s missing, so it easily could’ve been longer. Can’t say five games is nothing but, yeah, easily could have seen it been longer,” he said.

Tavares on Gudas suspension:

“I believe Auston’s been ruled out for quite a while, right, so it’s going to be more than five games what he’s missing, so it easily could’ve been longer. Can’t say five games is nothing but, yeah, easily could have seen it been longer”@TSN_Sports

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 14, 2026

Forward Matthew Knies took a similar tone.

“I think the league could’ve done a little bit more seeing as our best player, our captain [is] not going to be with us for the rest of the year. That’s a big loss … I would’ve loved to see a little bit more,” he said.

“To see a player go down like that and be in as much pain as he was getting off the ice and a guy like that [Gudas] who is a repeat offender of occasions like that, you know, I don’t think it was enough is all I’ll say about that.”

Knies on Gudas getting five games for knee on Matthews:

“I think the league could’ve done a little bit more seeing as our best player, our captain [is] not going to be with us for the rest of the year. That’s a big loss … I would’ve loved to see a little bit more”@TSN_Sports

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 14, 2026

The incident occurred with just over four minutes remaining in the second period of Thursday’s matchup when Gudas attempted to hit Matthews and made contact with his left knee.

Matthews remained on the ice for a long period of time before exiting the ice and going into the dressing room without putting any weight on his left leg. Berube initially called the hit a “dirty play,” while Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said there was no intent on Gudas’ part.

The Ducks captain was handed a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct on the play. He will forfeit $104,166.65 in salary during the suspension.

Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, said in a statement released Friday night 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,” said Moldaver. “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.

“This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players. Players and fans deserve better.

“The player safety department should be suspended.”