Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson is entering the final season of his contract in 2025-26. With this, he has the potential to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1 of next year.
Given the fact that Matheson has been an incredibly important part of the Canadiens' roster, it would be understandable if they worked hard to keep the left-shot defenseman around. Besides providing solid offense from the point, he has also been a nice veteran mentor to the Canadiens' younger players as they continue to trend in the right direction.
Since joining the Canadiens, Matheson has recorded 25 goals, 102 assists, and 127 points. This includes his monster year with Montreal in 2023-24, as he scored 11 goals and set career highs with 51 assists and 62 points in 82 contests. Thus, the fit has undoubtedly been there between Matheson and the Canadiens, but will it be enough for them to get a new deal done before next summer?
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With how well Matheson has played since joining the Canadiens, he certainly is due for a raise from his current $4.875 million cap hit. This is where things could get complicated for the Canadiens, especially with the team having other players to re-sign and other roster needs to address.
Ultimately, if the Canadiens and Matheson can find a way to agree on a deal that is at a reasonable cap hit, it would be great for the Original Six club to keep him around. Yet, if his asking price is too high or the Canadiens simply do not view him as a long-term part of their plans, that is where things could get interesting. The left-shot defenseman has come up in the rumor mill as of late, and it could make sense for the Canadiens to trade him if the right offer came along.
It will be very interesting to see what the Canadiens end up doing with Matheson. There are clear potential benefits to extending him, but time will tell if they can get a deal done. Yet, their blueline is also getting crowded.
Photo Credit: © David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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