NHL Rumours: Matthews Done, Gudas Suspended & Predators GM

The MRI Matthews received determined that he suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear, as well as a quad contusion, according to an announcement from the team.

After the hit, none of the Maple Leafs players on the ice came to the defense of their captain, and top insider Elliotte Friedman took to his podcast, 32 Thoughts, and brought up the question of whether the Maple Leafs were “a team, or a club?”

The meaning behind that question is asking if the group of 23 players on the roster care about each other and are truly a team, or if they are a group of individuals who all happen to wear the same jersey. For NHL teams to have success, they have to fall under the “team” category, and the Maple Leafs didn’t display that.

While there was some physicality from the Leafs later in the game, none of it was enough to justify not sticking up for him at the time.

Morgan Rielly, who was the closest Maple Leafs player after the hit, did not have a response, and after the game, noted that he wasn’t entirely sure what happened or if the hit was dirty. Head coach Craig Berube stated, “We should have had four guys in there doing something about it. I thought they responded in the third, but we all would have liked everyone to get in there right away,“ after the game.

With the reports of Matthews’ future with the team being a conversation point this offseason, is it possible he has played his last game with the Maple Leafs?

Gudas Suspended 5 Games, Agent Unhappy With Decision

Gudas had an over-the-phone hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on March 13, and when it was announced that it would not be in person, there was some uproar on social media.

Friedman noted that a comparable would have been Matt Cooke’s suspension in 2014 following a knee-on-knee collision with defenseman Tyson Barrie. Both Cooke and Gudas had lengthy suspension histories prior to their suspensions, and the play appears very similar in both scenarios. The only difference between the two would be the speed and momentum Cooke had, compared to Gudas, who was gliding prior to the contact being made.

Gudas was given a five-game suspension, the maximum allowable for an over-the-phone hearing.

Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, released a statement, calling the suspension “laughable and preposterous”. Here is the full statement:

In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am very disappointed and shocked that the league would allow for such a ruling. A phone hearing and 5 games is Just laughable and preposterous. 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.

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.

Judd Moldaver, THE·TEAM

Pronger, Shanahan Included in Predators GM Search

As the Predators continue looking for a successor for Barry Trotz, there are some names starting to come out for potential general manager candidates. At this point, it has been over a month since it was stated that Trotz would step down, but he remains in the position until a replacement is found.

Trotz handled the trade deadline well. The team is, against all odds, still within grasping distance of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, sitting two points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final wild card spot.

There were some minor league deals done over the past week or so, but at the NHL’s trade deadline, Trotz was able to move out Michael McCarron, Michael Bunting, Nick Blankenburg, and Cole Smith, bringing in a second-round pick, two third-round picks, and a fifth-round pick.

Nick Kypreos reported that two names to keep an eye on for the position include Brendan Shanahan and Chris Pronger.

Shanahan has been without a job in the NHL since his 2025 departure from the Maple Leafs, but there have been talks that he is willing to take another position. While a role as he had in Toronto, the President of hockey operations, would be ideal, taking a general manager position isn’t off the table.

For Pronger, the name was a bit of a surprise, but he has stayed involved in the hockey world, but hasn’t been hired by a team in a management role.

Friedman, on his latest podcast episode, noted that the Predators have reportedly asked many teams about their assistant and associate general managers, and would be willing to take a first-time general manager, too.

Another name in the mix is Brett Peterson, who is an associate general manager with the Florida Panthers. He was recently named as the general manager for the 2026 USA Men’s National Team for the IIHF World Championship.