Player Discussion Mike Matheson

[ChesterNimitz]

I'm afraid for the Matheson detractors that he has done enough on the powerplay to be considered a #1 PP QB so far this season. He is ranked #5 league-wide as a defenseman and team leader (tied with Suzuki) with 15 powerplay points on the 22nd ranked powerplay.

However, he takes too many chances 5-on-5 for the results he creates which limits his value. He may have been 2nd power-play/#4 guy for his entire career but I woulkd upgrade him to #3 due to his success, so far, as a #1 PP QB. Obviously, he is ranked higher on the habs depth chart.

I remain bewildered if we trade Matheson, as to whom would replace the 26 minutes , great mobility and offensive production that Matheson currently provides. The only positive for a trade ( unless we receive a comparable, cost effective, mobile defenceman in return) is it will cement the certainty of our getting a high draft choice this coming draft.

Any of the trade options that I have read with respect to Matheson are based on the continuing frustrations of the fan base. Matheson remains among the least of the challenges facing this team’s ongoing efforts to reach relevancy.

 

[Tyson]

I remain bewildered if we trade Matheson, as to whom would replace the 26 minutes , great mobility and offensive production that Matheson currently provides. The only positive for a trade ( unless we receive a comparable, cost effective, mobile defenceman in return) is it will cement the certainty of our getting a high draft choice this coming draft.

Any trade option that I have read with respect to Matheson are based on the continuing frustrations of the fan base. Matheson remains among the least of the challenges facing this team’s ongoing efforts to reach relevancy.

Matheson is a great stop gap. He is no way a #1 D but until the kids are truly ready you need guys like him eating big minutes.
He is an ideal #3 on a contender.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Matheson is a great stop gap. He is no way a #1 D but until the kids are truly ready you need guys like him eating big minutes.
He is an ideal #3 on a contender.

When his current contract ends, Matheson will command far more than his current contract and far more than what the Canadiens can afford to pay any #3 defenceman. And if we don’t pay Matheson what his market value is, there will be no shortage of other teams that will. For what he provides, Matheson is one of the best deals (team-wise) in the NHL.

 

[Zilo44]

Matheson appears to be the scapegoat lately. And people criticize coaches for using him too much.

What I don’t get is we have no top pairing defensemen. So someone will have to play too many minutes ? Who should it be ? Guhle ? Struble ?

People say all the time that overplaying young players can expose them and kill their confidence.

Matheson is being overused because someone has to and he is the most mature player and it won’t break him.

I don’t understand why people complain about Matheson while it is clear he is doing his best to fill in a spot he should have to.

 

[Theodore450]

I remain bewildered if we trade Matheson, as to whom would replace the 26 minutes , great mobility and offensive production that Matheson currently provides. The only positive for a trade ( unless we receive a comparable, cost effective, mobile defenceman in return) is it will cement the certainty of our getting a high draft choice this coming draft.

Any of the trade options that I have read with respect to Matheson are based on the continuing frustrations of the fan base. Matheson remains among the least of the challenges facing this team’s ongoing efforts to reach relevancy.

Matheson is garbage and fans who know hockey has known this for a long time. My 2nd team the panthers had this bozo and signed him to 8 years. They had to boot him to get better.

He is a terribly defender and a terrible Pp option. This may be the last chance we have to offload that contract without taking a hit on the contract.

That Petry trade was lowkey terrible. Should’ve waited out the contract and kept poels over protecting Pitlick

 

[Puck Off]

Matheson appears to be the scapegoat lately. And people criticize coaches for using him too much.

What I don’t get is we have no top pairing defensemen. So someone will have to play too many minutes ? Who should it be ? Guhle ? Struble ?

People say all the time that overplaying young players can expose them and kill their confidence.

Matheson is being overused because someone has to and he is the most mature player and it won’t break him.

I don’t understand why people complain about Matheson while it is clear he is doing his best to fill in a spot he should have to.

Agree , he’s not a #1 D and it’s not his fault we currently don’t have a #1 D. He puts up pts and will drop the gloves if needed, plays against the top lines.

 

[RabbleMasterBlaster]

I still think he'd be better as a forward. If you're a D and you can't play D worth shit, you shouldn't be playing D.

 

[Egresch]

I remain bewildered if we trade Matheson, as to whom would replace the 26 minutes , great mobility and offensive production that Matheson currently provides. The only positive for a trade ( unless we receive a comparable, cost effective, mobile defenceman in return) is it will cement the certainty of our getting a high draft choice this coming draft.

Any of the trade options that I have read with respect to Matheson are based on the continuing frustrations of the fan base. Matheson remains among the least of the challenges facing this team’s ongoing efforts to reach relevancy.

If you look closer, he play 2:42 SH which I think he should not be playing. I would assume Guhle/Struble/Xhekaj can distribute that time among themselves. 3:54 on PP is more questionable, once Hutson comes to NHL (later this season as stated by Hughes) he should be given PP QB opportunity. I fully agree, we are not ready to let him go now, but this can change by the end of this season.

 

[Walksss]

Matheson is garbage and fans who know hockey has known this for a long time. My 2nd team the panthers had this bozo and signed him to 8 years. They had to boot him to get better.

He is a terribly defender and a terrible Pp option. This may be the last chance we have to offload that contract without taking a hit on the contract.

That Petry trade was lowkey terrible. Should’ve waited out the contract and kept poels over protecting Pitlick

If you think Matheson signed at $5 million a year providing what he does, even with all his warts, isn't valuable in today's league then you are likely part of the 'fans who don't know hockey'. This is a really bad take. And also what does Poehling have to do with Pitlick, those are 2 different trades.

I still think he'd be better as a forward. If you're a D and you can't play D worth shit, you shouldn't be playing D.

Better as a forward, lol. We truly have the greatest hockey minds posting here on HFboards, we should be thankful.

 

[salbutera]

If you think Matheson signed at $5 million a year providing what he does, even with all his warts, isn't valuable in today's league then you are likely part of the 'fans who don't know hockey'. This is a really bad take. And also what does Poehling have to do with Pitlick, those are 2 different trades.

Why is it so difficult to understand market pricing? It’s everyone’s right I suppose to expect $8M output out of a $5M player but reality is that just won’t happen…

Matheson is being paid $5M to play a #4D role, he’s being asked to fill a roles / used as a 25TOI #1Dman due to NEED

 

[OldCraig71]

Matheson appears to be the scapegoat lately. And people criticize coaches for using him too much.

We are rebuilding with nothing at stake here, why not move Struble or Guhle to the number one slot for a few games and drop Magic Mike down the lineup? I don't know why they are hesitant to experiment with players and their positions across our lineup.

 

[salbutera]

We are rebuilding with nothing at stake here, why not move Struble or Guhle to the number one slot for a few games and drop Magic Mike down the lineup? I don't know why they are hesitant to experiment with players and their positions across our lineup.

Because that’s how u get into a Buf, Sens, Edm etc losing culture… feeding players too young to the wolves & limiting their scope of growth to doing only what comes naturally vs cultivating situational awareness and developing well rounded pieces of a puzzle that help a team WIN

 

[26Mats]

We are rebuilding with nothing at stake here, why not move Struble or Guhle to the number one slot for a few games and drop Magic Mike down the lineup? I don't know why they are hesitant to experiment with players and their positions across our lineup.

Because that’s how u get into a Buf, Sens, Edm etc losing culture… feeding players too young to the wolves & limiting their scope of growth to doing only what comes naturally vs cultivating situational awareness and developing well rounded pieces of a puzzle that help a team WIN

what @salbutera said. Plus, I think MSL just likes his vets.

Its how much ice time he gives to Tanner Pearson when Ylonen is ready to get a good look in the top 9 that annoys me.

 

[salbutera]

what @salbutera said. Plus, I think MSL just likes his vets.

Its how much ice time he gives to Tanner Pearson when Ylonen is ready to get a good look in the top 9 that annoys me.

BTW you can throw the Leafs into the same bucket for all the talk of prospects being groomed w Marlies in AHL - Marner, Nylander etc

How many of them actually have shown growth in areas that didn’t exist or needed work on when drafted? Maybe that’s part of the issue come playoffs….players haven’t grown

 

[OldCraig71]

Because that’s how u get into a Buf, Sens, Edm etc losing culture… feeding players too young to the wolves & limiting their scope of growth to doing only what comes naturally vs cultivating situational awareness and developing well rounded pieces of a puzzle that help a team WIN

I wasn't pushing for a full-time situation just a game here and there or even a few shifts per game, teams do it with forward pairings quite frequently.

 

[salbutera]

I wasn't pushing for a full-time situation just a game here and there or even a few shifts per game, teams do it with forward pairings quite frequently.

Guhle’s been receiving the 2nd most TOI amongst Habs Dman for last 4-6 weeks - he’s playing 18-20TOI per game, at same time Matheson’s TOI has been reducing closer to 20min

Wouldn’t surprise me if Guhle takes over as TOI leader on Habs D in the 2nd half

 

[Walksss]

Why is it so difficult to understand market pricing? It’s everyone’s right I suppose to expect $8M output out of a $5M player but reality is that just won’t happen…

Matheson is being paid $5M to play a #4D role, he’s being asked to fill a roles / used as a 25TOI #1Dman due to NEED

What's so hard to understand is that Matheson is the 13th highest scoring defenceman in the NHL and as you can imagine nearly everyone else around there offensively is a stud who is getting paid much more than $5 million. Now before you waste time going around quoting all the great value contracts around the league, don't bother, that's not what I'm saying.

For what he provides, $5 million is good value. He isn't a very good defensive defenceman but neither are many of the offensive minded D around the league. If you manage to be great at both, you're in the Norris conversation, Matheson is not, that doesn't change the fact that every NHL team would take Matheson at his current cap hit, period.

 

[LesCanadiens]

He's the new Patrice Brisebois. I guess we have to live with both the very good and the very bad.

 

[26Mats]

He's the new Patrice Brisebois. I guess we have to live with both the very good and the very bad.

The thing is, Brisebois never put up 40 points, his career high was 38.

Matheson is on pace for 58. So I consider Matheson to be a higher offensive talent than Brisebois, if he can keep this up.

I was too young to be able to compare Brisebois and Matheson defensively. I still hope Matheson can figure out when to try his crazy moves and when to make the simple play.

 

[LesCanadiens]

The thing is, Brisebois never put up 40 points, his career high was 38.

Matheson is on pace for 58. So I consider Matheson to be a higher offensive talent than Brisebois, if he can keep this up.

I was too young to be able to compare Brisebois and Matheson defensively. I still hope Matheson can figure out when to try his crazy moves and when to make the simple play.

Breeze-by (his nickname by us fans back then, lol) was not good defensively, but IMO, much better than Matheson. He was good for one major gaffe every game or so. Matheson seems to have multiple major gaffes every game. So I'd say it's roughly the same offset gain. But that's just my perspective based on old memories and aging brain-cells, lol.

 

[Theodore450]

If you think Matheson signed at $5 million a year providing what he does, even with all his warts, isn't valuable in today's league then you are likely part of the 'fans who don't know hockey'. This is a really bad take. And also what does Poehling have to do with Pitlick, those are 2 different trades.



Better as a forward, lol. We truly have the greatest hockey minds posting here on HFboards, we should be thankful.

Matheson provides value because he forced into a role that gives him a lot of ice time. As a team we won’t improve with a guy like that in the top 4. When the habs aim to contend in 2 seasons. Having. Him in the top 4 will hurt and his contract will be a burden that year. As for Poel contract, it wad dumped to keep pitlick over 1m contract

 

[salbutera]

What's so hard to understand is that Matheson is the 13th highest scoring defenceman in the NHL and as you can imagine nearly everyone else around there offensively is a stud who is getting paid much more than $5 million. Now before you waste time going around quoting all the great value contracts around the league, don't bother, that's not what I'm saying.

For what he provides, $5 million is good value. He isn't a very good defensive defenceman but neither are many of the offensive minded D around the league. If you manage to be great at both, you're in the Norris conversation, Matheson is not, that doesn't change the fact that every NHL team would take Matheson at his current cap hit, period.

Marek & Friedman on their podcast a couple of weeks back said, Van fans should just sit back and enjoy their team and not pass judgement…. then concluded its simply not possibly for fans in the Cdn market to do so.

Same applies for Matheson

 

[Sam I Am]

He's the new Patrice Brisebois. I guess we have to live with both the very good and the very bad.

Matheson is a more gifted skater and puck handler than Brisebois ever was. More points too.

A better Brisebois comparable is Justin Barron. Two talented right side d-men for whom the whole is somehow less than the sum of its parts. Both tall, fluid skaters given to running around in their own zone. Both with the innate ability to fall down at exactly the worst time.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Matheson is a more gifted skater and puck handler than Brisebois ever was. More points too.

A better Brisebois comparable is Justin Barron. Two talented right side d-men for whom the whole is somehow less than the sum of its parts. Both tall, fluid skaters given to running around in their own zone. Both with the innate ability to fall down at exactly the worst time.

Barron is playing within expectations for his age, though. And the hope is he matures his d game. Whereas Breezy never did and was just as bad defensively at 29 as he was at 21-22, thus the Matheson comparison. But I do agree 100% on your comments about the stylistic differences between them and the similarities between Barron and Breezy. 100% spot on.

 

[Habssince89]

Matheson-Weber would've been something else.