How Mike Matheson became the biggest winner of the Canadiens’ Noah Dobson trade

Mike Matheson entered this season on the final year of his eight-year $39 million contract he signed with the Florida Panthers. If you had asked Habs’ fans before the season started if the team should extend his contract after this season, many would have said no. The criticism was justified. Matheson was coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, which saw his point total drop from 62 in 2023-24 to 31 last season. He was second on the team in giveaways with 107 and was on the ice for the most goals against with 127. He was asked to be the number one defenceman and play in every situation, which, over a long season, wore him out. However, just as fast as he became public enemy number one, all it took was for the Canadiens to get a shiny new toy in Noah Dobson to make everyone forget.

Some believed the Canadiens gave up too much to acquire Dobson this offseason. Two first-round picks and Emil Heineman are a steep price to pay, but the 25-year-old defenceman has been what they thought he would be: a legitimate number one defenceman. He has been playing on the top pairing alongside Matheson, recording a goal and seven points in 12 games while averaging over 22 minutes a night. He is everything you can ask for in a number one defenceman. Plays on the power play, on the penalty kill, and will likely be a part of your shutdown pair when it gets late into games. He has been worth every penny of his $9.5 million contract so far.

There has been no player who has benefited more from the acquisition of Dobson than Matheson. It is not just about his play on the ice, but also his reputation in Montreal. Matheson's future with the Canadiens is still unknown. Will he resign to a team-friendly contract or look to leave? The majority of the fans would have been on the side of letting him walk if you had asked the question before the season. However, with how well the Dobson-Matheson line has been playing together, I think that idea has long been forgotten.

Dobson has had nothing but great things to say about his new defensive partner:

The numbers speak for themselves. Matheson has three goals and seven points in 12 games this season, while still averaging just under 25 minutes a game. His turnover numbers are down, averaging just one a game. The biggest thing for Matheson is that he is no longer required to play in every moment of the game. Lane Hutson emerged last season as the best point producer on the blueline, taking over on the team’s top power play. Dobson has taken over on the second power play unit, letting Matheson focus on the penalty kill, trying to stop the opposing team’s best unit. His ice time is similar to last season, 24:53 compared to 25:05 the previous year. Matheson looks rejuvenated, and with the way he is playing, the Canadiens might want to make sure he stays in town for a couple more seasons.