Jeff Gorton praises Mike Matheson: “He’s important to us right now”

Dose
Crédit:

As soon as he arrived in Montreal, Mike Matheson established himself as an important player in the Canadiens line-up.

He was given the mandate to be the team’s #1 defenseman, and in his first two seasons with the big club, he enjoyed some good times offensively.

His production dropped off last campaign, but that’s normal in a way: he lost his place on the first wave of the powerplay due to the blossoming of Lane Hutson, and he saw the latter gain more responsibility too.

That said, even though Matheson was less productive in 24-25, he’s still one of the habs’ defensive stalwarts.

And Jeff Gorton(RG Media) recognizes this… as he reiterated just how much Matheson helps the Canadiens succeed on the ice:

If you look at Mike’s work since he arrived in Montreal, he’s a very good player. Sure, he gets criticized from time to time, but he can sometimes play more than 25 minutes a game, can’t he? He’s huge for us, and we’re all aware of that. – Jeff Gorton

And in reality, Gorton is right.

Because if Matheson gets hurt… it really affects the depth on defense:

With just one season remaining on Mike Matheson’s contract, Jeff Gorton didn’t want to reveal the organization’s plan at this level.

Hearing the VP speak well of the defenseman doesn’t mean he’ll automatically stay in town… but it does mean one thing.

The Canadiens really like Matheson’s contribution to the team. And it also means that if Kent Hughes does trade him, it will definitely be for a high-quality player… because the Habs value their defenseman right now.

And that’s normal, since Matheson doesn’t just help out on the ice: he’s also a good veteran for the team.

He wears an “A” on his sweater because he’s one of the Canadiens’ good leaders.

He’s important on many levels in Montreal… and that’s why management sees him as an important key to the club right now.

Overtime

– Still.

– That’s a long way off!

– Good question.