The Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt more terrible news after already having a terrible season. Auston Matthews is done for the rest of the year.
Announced by the Maple Leafs on Friday evening, Auston Matthews will miss the remainder of his 2025-26 season due to suffering a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion after being the victim of a vicious knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks blueliner Radko Gudas.
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 13, 2026
As noted by the Leafs, the captain will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks. But that means towards the end of the month and with only 16 games left in the season, it makes zero sense to try and get him back in there during a lost season.
Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews out for remainder of season after dirty play
This is maybe the worst possible news for Leafs fans. There is of course the elephant in the room that this only heightens their chances of sinking down far enough that they secure a top-five selection in the 2026 NHL Draft and get to keep their pick, instead of giving it to the Boston Bruins, but for it to come at such a cost is not something anyone wants to see.
Matthews was having a second consecutive mediocre season, by his standards, with just 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games. It's not the 69-goal phenom that we have previously known, and it's even a step down from the 1.16 points per game he managed to produce last year. This season has just been an overall miserable experience for everyone involved with the Maple Leafs, including the best player this team has ever known.
All because Radko Gudas can't think straight unless he's physically harming another player on the ice and causing serious injury.
Radko Gudas received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Auston Matthews.
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 13, 2026
Matthews has since left the game 🤕 pic.twitter.com/E8lc8MjvJh
Now, the even larger elephant in the room is whether or not Matthews has already played his last game on the Maple Leafs. For that to be his final moment in the Blue and White would maybe be the most depressing thing among very depressing things we experience being Leafs fans.
As for Gudas, he is receiving just a phone hearing for a suspension. Meaning he is eligible to only receive a maximum of five games on his suspension sentence, which is frankly ridiculous.
We'll see how the rest of the Leafs season plays out but it is just another day with some terrible news.