Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Suspended Pending Review For Late Blindside Hit

Kitchener Rangers forward Matthew Hlacar. Photo credit: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs took a flyer on Kitchener Rangers’ enforcer forward Matthew Hlacar when they selected him 217th overall in the seventh round of the 2025 NHL Draft. A new philosophy has been adopted in the way Toronto drafts under Brad Treliving compared to former GM Kyle Dubas, and the selection of Hlacar further exemplifies that.

Hlacar plays the game in the old-fashioned style. He is aggressive, aiming to inflict pain with his hits, and is not afraid to drop his gloves and engage in a fight. This often leads him to spend time in the penalty box multiple times during a game. At times, his actions exceed acceptable limits, prompting intervention from the OHL's player safety department.

The Maple Leafs prospect finds himself in hot water already, just four games into the season.

On October 10, Kitchener drove into Sault Ste. Marie to face off against the Greyhounds. Early in the second frame, Hlacar took a checking from behind penalty on Greyhounds’ defenseman Hunter Solomon. He was assessed a two-minute minor penalty on the play and answered the bell, shedding the gloves with Solomon’s defense partner, Spencer Evans.

Matthew Hlacar was given a 2 minute minor for checking from behind for the first clip and then got a 5 minute major and was ejected in the same period for the hit in the 2nd clip. I think the first one was worse but will be interesting if they use both against him in a suspension pic.twitter.com/2teEFdkFGU
— Generals Live (@GeneralsUpdates) October 11, 2025

Later in that same period, Hlacar threw a blindside hit on Jakub Winkelhofer after he distributed the puck.

The hit by Matthew Hlacar on Jakub Winkelhofer. Hlacar received a match penalty for blindside and a game misconduct. pic.twitter.com/VYFChRxkqt
— Soo Greyhounds Updates (@HoundsInsider) October 11, 2025

The Toronto seventh-rounder was assessed a match penalty for blindsiding and kicked out of the game. Not only was the hit a clear blindside, but it also appeared to be late. Hlacar had plenty of time to let up on the hit.

His actions have prompted the OHL’s department of player safety to suspend him indefinitely pending review. Through four games this season, Hlacar has already totaled 24 penalty minutes.

#OHL Disciplinary Action:

Kitchener's Matthew Hlacar has been suspended pending review as a result of actions (Match, Blindsiding) on Oct. 10th at Sault Ste. Marie.
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) October 11, 2025

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