Montreal Canadiens Secure Mike Matheson
The Montreal Canadiens have secured defenseman Mike Matheson with a five-year contract extension worth $30 million, announced on Friday. Beginning next season, Matheson, who is currently 31 years old, will have a cap hit of $6 million, which will extend through the 2030-31 season.
Matheson’s Career and Performance
Matheson is concluding his eighth season with the Canadiens after originally signing an eight-year deal with the Florida Panthers back in October 2017, during which he had a cap hit of $4.875 million. With this new contract, he joins three other Canadiens defensemen who are also under contract until at least the 2030-31 season: Kaiden Guhle, Noah Dobson, and Lane Hutson.
This season, Matheson has participated in 22 games, accumulating 14 points (4 goals and 10 assists), ranking second among the team’s defensemen, just behind Dobson. He has recorded an impressive plus-13 rating, leading the team and tying for 13th place in the league, equal to players like Josh Manson of the Colorado Avalanche and Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ice Time and Achievements
Matheson is logging considerable ice time this season, averaging 24:50 per game, which puts him 10th in the NHL in this category, although it is slightly less than his averages from the previous two years. The last two seasons have been particularly productive for him, with Matheson reaching personal milestones in the 2023-24 season by matching his career-high with 11 goals and surpassing his previous records with 51 assists and a total of 62 points, landing third on the team in scoring behind Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
Overall Career Stats
Since entering the NHL, having been drafted 23rd overall in 2012, Matheson has played 649 games, in which he has netted 78 goals and accumulated 279 points. With this new contract, he will continue to contribute to the Canadiens until he turns 37.
Please note that although previously reported with a different figure, his cap hit is confirmed to be $6 million, not $5 million.
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