Berube: Gudas' 5-game ban 'doesn't seem like enough'

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube thinks Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas got off easy with a five-game suspension after ending Auston Matthews' season with a knee-on-knee hit Thursday night.

"Looking at it, we lose our guy, our captain for the year," Berube said, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "It doesn't seem like enough for me. You lose your star player for the year. The guy doing it is a repeat offender. It just doesn't seem like enough."

Gudas' suspension was the fifth of his career. He was assessed a major penalty and ejected for the hit that resulted in a Grade 3 MCL tear for Matthews.

Berube isn't the only Maple Leaf who thinks Gudas' punishment was light.

"I believe Auston's been ruled out for quite a while, right? So it's going to (miss) more than five games, so it easily could've been longer," said John Tavares. "Can't say five games is nothing, but it could have been longer."

Added Matthew Knies, "I think the league could've done a little bit more, seeing as our best player (and) our captain (is) not going to be with us for the rest of the year. That's a big loss."

Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, was irate about the verdict Friday, saying The NHL Department of Player Safety should be suspended for their own decision.

Gudas is eligible to return from his suspension March 24. The Maple Leafs visit the Ducks in Anaheim on March 30.