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Mike Matheson’s future: The Habs better start thinking about it soon

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated May 26, 2025 7:30 PM ET

In 24-25, Mike Matheson had his worst offensive season since arriving in Montreal.

He collected “only” 31 points in 80 games, mainly because his role changed slightly.

After all, the emergence of Lane Hutson didn’t help his cause, and let’s not forget one thing either: Matheson lost his position on the first wave of the powerplay.

Matheson still found a way to help the Canadiens because he was playing, night after night, against the best players on the other teams.

And while he’s not perfect defensively, he’s done his job well.

That said, the Québécois is about to enter the final year of his contract, and the Canadiens have a decision to make in his case.

Do we keep him in town, try to trade him at the next deadline to maximize his value if the Habs aren’t in the playoff race… or do we let him test the free agent market in the summer of 2026, with the risk of losing him for free?

There are a lot of questions to ask right now. And it’s safe to say that Kent Hughes is already thinking about them.

(Credit: PuckPedia)

There’s one element that might not work in his favor, and that’s the fact that the Canadiens rely on several left-handed defensemen.

Struble, Xhekaj, Matheson, Hutson, Guhle… that’s a lot of left-handed defensemen. Especially since, apart from Matheson, all these players are younger.

At the same time, we’ve been saying it for a long time, and it’s worth repeating: the Canadiens must also have veterans on their defensive brigade. At least, that’s the case for now and for the next few years, because the youngsters also need coaching.

At 23, Kaiden Guhle may not be ready for that role just yet.

Mike Matheson has proved that he can play an important role in Montreal. He’s only 31, he’s had a good time since joining the Canadiens – even if it’s been tougher offensively this season – and he can be used for anything.

Offering him a new contract shouldn’t necessarily be a priority on the Kent Hughes table, in my eyes.

But it’s still an important issue, and it will be really interesting to see how the organization decides to navigate through it all.

Overtime

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