Radko Gudas returned from his five-game suspension on Tuesday. Ahead of the game, he spoke to reporters about the hit on Auston Matthews, saying he never intended to hurt another player. However, fans aren’t buying his apology, with many arguing he should be suspended for the remainder of the season.
On March 12, Radko Gudas hit Matthews with a knee, resulting in a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion in Matthews’ left leg. He is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks but could return in time for preseason training with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
READ MORE: Connor McDavid calls out NHL after Auston Matthews injury
Radko Gudas suspension
The Anaheim Ducks captain was ejected from the game and subsequently suspended for five games. He made his return on Tuesday in the Ducks’ 5–3 win over the Vancouver Canucks, logging 15 minutes of ice time.
Before the game, Gudas addressed both his suspension and the hit that ended Matthews’ season.
“I respect the league’s decision, I didn’t like the point of contact either. I have to respect it, learn from it, and be better as a hockey player, I never want to go out and hurt anybody. It’s very unfortunate. I reached out to him as well—we spoke—and I never want to see anyone get hurt, so I feel terrible about that,” Gudas said.
”I feel terrible”
He continued:
“I try to stay on the good side. It’s been over seven years since my last incident, so I’m doing everything in my power to stay on the right side—to play hard but clean. I really hate the way it ended up, especially the point of contact. I’m not a fan of that. I never want to injure anyone. It’s a hard-fought game, but I never want to go out there and hurt anybody. I feel terrible about the outcome.”
Despite his comments, many fans remain unconvinced by his apology and explanation.
Fans are outraged
Online, several fans criticized Gudas, saying they don’t believe his intentions were innocent.
“Didn’t look like he was trying to avoid that point of contact. It looked like a blatant attempt to injure,” one fan wrote on X.
“Then why did he deliberately knee the guy with malicious intent? He did it because he isn’t a good hockey player. He’s a thug. Period,” another added.
“You’re 35 and have played in this league long enough. You still haven’t learned anything. Awful captain,” a third fan commented.
“Don’t be fooled by his innocent demeanour. He’s always been a player who tries to injure opponents. This is nonsense. He can say what he wants—it’s his actions that matter. Garbage player,” a fourth wrote.
You can watch Gudas’ interview below.
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