Mike Matheson has been a valuable player for the Montreal Canadiens since joining the team 2022-23. He had 34 points in 48 games, which was well above his usual pace. The question was whether he'd keep it going or if it was a one-season anomaly. Matheson smashed his career-high with 62 points in 82 games last season, cementing himself as the team's ice-time leader and powerplay quarterback.
Matheson was contributing offensively better than he ever had before. The front office hoped it was a sign of things to come, and he'd be a constant on the blueline through the rebuild. However, the front office couldn't have predicted the rapid emergence of Lane Hutson and the rest of the young blueline. Hutson is likely the successor to Matheson's role, and that switch could come sooner rather than later.
It isn't Matheson's fault that the young guys are starting to take his place. Anyone with knowledge of hockey is aware that Hutson is the better option on the first powerplay. Martin St. Louis is trying to shelter Hutson's minutes and hype, but at a certain point, he'll have to make the move. Hutson could quickly become one of the best offensive defensemen in the league, and Matheson's lack of vision on the powerplay is getting more noticeable.
Matheson's powerplay questions would be less of an issue if he were an above-average defender. The problem is he's beginning to show plenty of warts on that end as well. Corsi measures chances for and against when a player is on the ice. Matheson had been a plus player for Corsi in his final two seasons with the Florida Panthers but recorded a -5.7 mark in 2022-23 with the Habs.
It got worse last season despite the massive offensive numbers. He tallied a -13.3, a concerning stat for someone who recorded many points. It's a small sample size through four games this season, but he is currently a -37.2.
Find me a prettier goal than this. You can't.
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) October 15, 2024
Letang extends the lead to 5-3 pic.twitter.com/J8LpOCMIDC
There wasn't much Matheson could do about Kris Letang's 5-3 goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night. However, it feels like there was a better play to be made than the one he did. It was a small example of a larger problem for the Habs. Hutson played nearly 25 minutes in the last game along with Matheson, and it's only a matter of time before he consistently outplays him.
It's time for the Canadiens' front office to have a serious conversation about putting him on the trade block if Matheson's defensive struggles continue and Hutson proves he can shoulder the load. His stock will decline as the year continues, and they'll be better off getting something for him while they can.