Max Domi dropping the gloves with Radko Gudas in Monday’s NHL game was not random.

The fight came just three seconds after puck drop between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. Domi landed multiple punches and a series of uppercuts, clearly winning the exchange. Gudas mostly absorbed the blows after agreeing to answer for his earlier hit.

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During a segment of the Sportsnet broadcast, NHL analyst Nick Kypreos explained that the decision followed a strict locker room order based on experience.

MORE: Radko Gudas ready to ‘address’ it in heated Maple Leafs rematch

Kypreos said the fight came down to “seniority” inside the team.

“This is complete seniority,” Kypreos said. “So Max comes in, he is one of five options for Gudas, right? He gets the first crack at Gudas. He’s played over 800 games. Mm-hmm. It’s his fight, unless he passes it on to Carlo at 700 games, and then you go down to Benoit.”

So, younger players could not step in unless Domi passed the chance.

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“Yeah, absolutely,” Kypreos doubled down on his explanation. “Pezzetta was the last guy on the totem pole. Pezzetta doesn’t get to go up to Max Domi and say, ‘I’ve got Gudas.’

“It really comes down to seniority. Yeah. It’s who rules, who decides. It’s the guy with the most games played in the National Hockey League.”

If Kypreos’ statement holds true, clearly, the system treats these situations almost like a responsibility rather than a choice.

Additionally, Domi had already hinted at retaliation weeks earlier. He admitted he was “pretty angry” after the incident involving Auston Matthews.

“Yeah, certainly not happy about it,” Domi said. “[and we] play him a couple weeks from now.”

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So, his actions on March 30 showed that frustration had not faded.

Auston Matthews injury set the stage for the Maple Leafs’ retaliation

The latest altercation can be traced back to March 12, when Gudas delivered a knee-on-knee hit on Matthews. The Leafs captain suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion, ending his season. He later underwent surgery in New York.

MORE: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews faces ‘tough summer’ after knee surgery

Gudas received a five-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety. However, many in Toronto felt the punishment did not match the impact of the injury. So, that moment stayed with the group heading into the rematch.

Domi’s fight served as a delayed response. It followed hockey’s unwritten code, where players generally police dangerous plays themselves, especially when it involves their star player.

Kypreos’ explanation now shows how those decisions are not emotional alone. They follow a structure inside the locker room, where experience often dictates action.