Montreal Canadiens veteran blue liner Mike Matheson hopes to stick with the club beyond this season. The 31-year-old is in the final year of his current deal and potentially staring at free agency this summer.
Matheson had been the subject of rampant trade speculation this past trade deadline. Trade talk intensified when the Canadiens landed Noah Dobson in a blockbuster trade with the New York Islanders.
Despite the major move, the Canadiens didn’t move Matheson. If anything, it looks like he might be staying put.
The Fourth Period quoted Matheson on September 16, who made a recent appearance on Le Poche Bleue Podcast:
“I’d like to stay here as long as possible. I’m letting my agent handle things.”
The comments underscore Matheson’s desire to remain with the up-and-coming Canadiens. The Canadiens made substantial progress in their rebuild, making the playoffs after missing out on the previous three seasons.
The 23rd overall pick from the 2012 NHL Draft joined Montreal following a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins that sent Jeff Petry to the Steel City. Matheson had his best year in 2023-24, scoring 11 goals and adding 51 assists for 62 points in 82 games. He followed that up with another solid season in 2024-25, despite regressing to his career averages.
It’s unlikely Matheson re-signs for a similar eight-year contract carrying a $4.875 million AAV. But there could be room for Matheson to find a middle ground with the Canadiens.
Canadiens could have role for Matheson moving forward
Matheson was on the Habs’ top pairing during the worst parts of the team’s rebuild. However, he’s been pushed down the depth chart due to the emergence of Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson. The addition of Dobson has further pushed Matheson down the depth chart. He’s now listed as a bottom-pairing defenseman.
But then again, a team in which Matheson is a bottom-pairing blue liner is nothing to sneeze at. It signals the club has enviable defensive depth and could be poised to ice one of the NHL’s best blue lines.
That being said, there Canadiens, despite other rising stars, could have a role for Matheson moving forward. He’ll be a trusted veteran presence on the team while providing reliable play.
The projected third pairing of Matheson and Alexandre Carrier could be one that helps balance the offensive output that’s to come from Dobson and Hutson.
Ultimately, the Canadiens and Matheson make sense together. Perhaps the veteran blueliner might get a higher deal elsewhere. But the fit may not be quite as good as the one in Montreal.