Radko Gudas breaks silence following controversial hit on Auston Matthews

Anaheim Ducks captain spoke out on Tuesday, addressing the controversial hit that landed Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews on the shelf for the remainder of the season.

Gudas served a five-game suspension for the hit, returning to the ice against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

The veteran blueliner expressed his remorse for the situation, expressing how he regretted the way things worked out.

“I really hate the way it ended up, the point of contact,” Gudas stated. “I’m not a fan of that. I never want to injure anybody out there. It’s a hard-fought game. It’s just, yeah, I never want to go out there and hurt anybody. I feel terrible about the outcome. I just committed to the play, and unfortunately that was the point of contact.”

Gudas’ contrition is up for debate. But let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. He said all the right things, signaling his seeming regret for the way the situation played out.

“I didn’t like the point of contact, either,” Gudas said. “That’s what I’m looking at; I’ve got to respect… I’ve got to learn. I’ve got to be better as a hockey player. I never want to go out there and hurt anybody. It’s very unfortunate. I reached out to him, too. We spoke. I never want to see anybody get hurt, so I feel terrible about that.”

The comments seemed heartfelt enough. However, the expectation is that Gudas will have to answer for his actions at some point down the line.

Matthews hit unleashes controversy among Maple Leafs fans

Gudas’ untimely hit on Matthews has unleashed a huge wave of backlash. The suspension did not go down well across the league. Several pundits and analysts, along with the entirety of Leafs Nation, felt the suspension was too lenient.

While the league has tried to justify its position, the fact of the matter is that Gudas is a repeat offender. Sure, Gudas has pleaded his case by saying that he’s been on the good side for seven seasons.

But that does little to downplay the situation. After all, how would a judge accept a plea if a defendant said, “Oh, I haven’t been in jail for seven years.”

Prior history is crucial in determining sentencing moving forward. Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, Gudas seems to have gotten away with one.

The only real solace will be for the Maple Leafs to remind Gudas of his sins the next time the two teams meet.