The Toronto Maple Leafs saw their captain Auston Matthews leave the game against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a hit from Radko Gudas. After the game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube called out his own players for not sticking up for Matthews following the hit.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won their first game since February 4, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 6–4. However, the Leafs are still far from a playoff spot, and many fans already consider the season to be over.
READ MORE: Paul Bissonnette notes one thing about the Maple Leafs’ future
Auston Matthews hit by Radko Gudas
The win against the Ducks saw Matthew Knies record four points, one goal and three assists. Captain Auston Matthews also ended his 12-game goal drought in the second period. But just five minutes later, he had to leave the game after a collision with Ducks captain Radko Gudas. Gudas received a major penalty for kneeing and was ejected from the game.
“I love that we stayed composed and didn’t really get away from our game. We found a way to win, and we continued to fight and push without getting thrown around. You know the player Gudas — I feel like he’s done that quite often. That’s our best player going down,” Matthew Knies told NHL.com after the game.
Craig Berube called out players
However, head coach Craig Berube felt his players should have stood up for Matthews after he went down and called out his team during the postgame press conference.
“Obviously, we should have had four guys in there doing something about it. It didn’t happen right away, but I think they responded in the third. It was a good response there. But we all would have liked everybody to get in there immediately,” Berube said.
Fans are not happy
Online, fans agreed that someone should have stepped in right away, calling the Maple Leafs soft and gutless.
“Leafs fan here… but what a gutless team this is!” one fan wrote on X.
“If I’m Auston Matthews, this is my last game in a Leafs uniform. The way this team treats me and how no teammate comes to my defense here — I’d want to be traded immediately,” another wrote.
“Matthews gets wrecked knee-on-knee, gets up, and his ‘teammates’ let Gudas skate off smiling? Shades of every Leafs playoff exit: look good on paper, fold like cheap suits in real battles. No response = no respect. Toronto’s a clown show,” a third fan wrote.
“Not one player going after him is embarrassing,” a fourth added.
You can watch the hit below.
READ MORE: Auston Matthews opens up about the Maple Leafs’ season
