Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews (MCL) undergoes surgery

Field Level Media
20 Mar 2026, 05:10 GMT+10

(Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Toronto Maple Leafs star captain Auston Matthews underwent surgery to repair the torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, the team said Thursday.

The surgery took place in New York. Matthews will need about 12 weeks to recover, according to the team.

Matthews, 28, was injured during the second period of game against the Anaheim Ducks on March 12.

Matthews took a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim defender Radko Gudas. He remained on the ice in pain as team trainers came to help and the extent of the injury was revealed the following day.

Gudas was suspended five games for the hit, marking the fifth suspension of his career.

Matthews scored a goal in the 6-4 win over the Ducks and finishes the season with 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games.

Matthews was captain of the gold medal-winning United States Olympic team last month in Italy.

He's also been one of the NHL's biggest stars and was the 2021-22 Hart Memorial Trophy winner as league MVP.

Matthews has scored 428 goals and 780 points in 689 regular-season games in 10 seasons with Toronto, winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2016-17.

He has been named to the NHL All-Star Game seven times, playing in five of the contests and winning All-Star Game MVP honors in 2024. He pulled out in 2020 due to a wrist injury and 2023 because of a knee injury.

--Field Level Media

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