Leafs face Radko Gudas for first time since hit that ended Auston Matthews' season
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Cimon Asselin
Mar 30, 2026 (4:44 PM)
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Radko Gudas and head coach Joel Quenneville face the Maple Leafs in Anaheim in the first clash since the hit that ended Auston Matthews' season.
This one has been simmering.
It's the first meeting since Gudas caught Matthews with a knee-on-knee play that led to a five-game suspension and shut down Toronto's captain for the year.
That changes everything around this game.
Gudas knows what's coming.
“I want to stand behind my own mistakes. I want to address it myself.” That's not backing off. That's stepping right into it.
And now it's on home ice.
Anaheim sits at 41-28-4, holding its ground in a tight race. The Ducks aren't adjusting their identity for one night.
Toronto rolls in at 31-30-13, still dealing with the fallout of losing Matthews from its top six.
Tension shifts to how Leafs respond
This is where Craig Berube earns his paycheck.
He can send a heavy line over the boards early or trust his skill guys to push pace and force Anaheim into penalties.
But the focus is locked on Gudas.
Every shift, every hit, every whistle.
That's how he plays. Tight gaps, hard contact, no hesitation along the wall or in front of the crease.
And if someone challenges him, he's not turning away.
Quenneville is leaving him right in the spotlight. No reduced role, no protection.
That's a clear message inside that room.
Still, there's risk.
Toronto's power play runs at 19%, while Anaheim's penalty kill sits at 78.4%. That gap matters if emotions spill over.
One bad decision can flip momentum.
The Honda Center crowd will feed off every collision involving Gudas.
And the Leafs bench will be watching just as closely.
This isn't just about a past hit.
It's about how both teams handle what comes next once the puck drops.
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