Leafs lose captain Matthews for the season with MCL injury, Gudas suspended five games

[p]According to the statement, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matthews-auston/zZVZlD9t/"]Matthews[/a] has suffered a Grade 3 tear in the knee plus a bruised quadriceps in the second period of their game on Thursday versus the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/anaheim-ducks/4CM4ojpD/"]Anaheim Ducks[/a]. [/p][p]Matthews was the victim of a knee-on-knee collision with Anaheim defenseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gudas-radko/x0sTXXa7/"]Radko Gudas[/a]. He needed assistance from the medical staff and a team-mate to get off the ice following the incident.[/p][p]As for Gudas, he was handed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct during the clash, which the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-maple-leafs/ShE7Z8G3/"]Leafs[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/anaheim-ducks-4CM4ojpD/toronto-maple-leafs-ShE7Z8G3/?mid=fcbgaZ1C"]won 6-4[/a]. That was followed by a five-game suspension by the NHL Department of Player Safety, his fifth suspension of his career.[/p][embed guid="4bb8310a-fad5-409b-a640-679569312f47" url="https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2032598575428022668?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Judd Moldaver, Matthews' agent, was not pleassed to see that Gudas did not end up with an in-person hearing, which could have increased the duration of the latter's suspension.[/p][p]"[b]A ​phone hearing and five games is just laughable and preposterous[/b]," said Moldaver. "[b]While the hearing process is ⁠pre-fixed in our ​CBA, that there was no further discipline is a reckless and ridiculous position for Player Safety.[/b][/p][p]"[b]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[/b]."[/p][p]Matthews recently captained the United States Olympic team to a gold medal in Milan-Cortina, There will be a re-evaluation in a couple of weeks to determine further steps.[/p][p]The 28-year-old had scored in the win on Thursday before his injury, and will finish the year on 53 points (27 goals and 26 assists) across 60 matches.[/p]