Player Discussion Mike Matheson

[KevSkillz4]

No rush to trade for a young #2C. We have Beck who is looking like a real possibility to land in that spot, not to mention Dubois seemingly wanting to come here

This. Beck looks like a real deal. Habs can certainly draft a player like Riley Heidt in 2023 draft.

If Dubois become a Habs player... Suzuki - Dubois - Beck... that's a very very good C depth. (Dach or Dubois can play C or wing).

 

[HuGort]

After the first initial shifts, which he needed to shake off the rust, Matheson became the go to defenceman for the Canadiens last night. He was a stabilizing presence on defence, played on the second power play and added an important element of mobility on the back end. Basically, and quickly, assumed the same important leadership role he did for the Penguins last year during their playoff run. As he gains game conditioning his role and importance will only grow. As one poster commented, with the emergence of Guhle and the return of Matheson, the team now has two mobile defencemen who can play effectively in 3 on 3 situations. Until yesterday, and for the past several seasons, it had been Petry and then pray during overtime. The acquisition of Matheson was a smart move talent wise, cost wise and age wise. Unless another team is prepared to pay a bounty, Matheson will and should be signed long term.

He was better than I thought.

No rush to trade for a young #2C. We have Beck who is looking like a real possibility to land in that spot, not to mention Dubois seemingly wanting to come here

Beck several years away and could be another Connor McMichael. Looked great in junior and WJC but hit pros and wheels fell off.

 

[MilesNewton]

Due for a bounce-back game tonight with hopefully better decision making. It seems when he is in, we are getting blown up in the first period. I realize its only 2 games but there is quite a lot riding on his play.
Especially since he is PP1 QB i havent noticed much difference between any of them on the PP to be honest. Everyone now knows where CC will shoot from and Suzuki seems to always be caught in the corner.
Granted they are throwing more puck on net but i almost prefer PP2 versus 1 at times.

 

[417]

Matheson is basically a left handed version of Jeff Petry.

He even looks like him lol, not sure if it's the stache but they're games are so similar.

 

[Tyson]

Matheson is basically a left handed version of Jeff Petry.

He even looks like him lol, not sure if it's the stache but they're games are so similar.

Petry is better defensively

 

[Habs]

meh, reminds me of Brisebois. I'll give him a month, he's bumbling the puck a lot right now but so is the rest of the blueline.

 

[417]

Petry is better defensively

Debatable but I wasn't suggesting they're carbon copies.

Just that stylistically and even looks wise, they're very similar.

 

[Naslundforever]

Petry is better defensively

Wasn’t always that way though, at Matheson’s age anyone coming up the left wing just had to stare at the boards for a split second and Petry’s skates would cross in a double “S” and he’d practically go flying in the crowd!

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Wasn’t always that way though, at Matheson’s age anyone coming up the left wing just had to stare at the boards for a split second and Petry’s skates would cross in a double “S” and he’d practically go flying in the crowd!

One of the most underrated and maligned Montreal players over the past 10 years. Never understood the hatred. Petry could skate, shoot and hit. He played in all high leverage situations and was our best (only?) option on defence in 3 on 3. Great player for us. And his injury in that unexpected Stanley Cup run probably ruined any chance we had of an upset in the finals. However, the difference between Petry and Matheson in 2022/2023 is much narrower and the advantage we gained in both shedding a higher salary and acquiring a younger player cost us Poehling.

 

[Naslundforever]

One of the most underrated and maligned Montreal players over the past 10 years. Never understood the hatred. Petry could skate, shoot and hit. He played in all high leverage situations and was our best (only?) option on defence in 3 on 3. Great player for us. And his injury in that unexpected Stanley Cup run probably ruined any chance we had of an upset in the finals. However, the difference between Petry and Matheson in 2022/2023 is much narrower and the advantage we gained in both shedding a higher salary and acquiring a younger player cost us Poehling.

Absolutely. And when he joined he was horrible at stopping zone entries. Matheson has time to keep getting better; smoothe skaters like these guys have longer careers.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Wasn’t always that way though, at Matheson’s age anyone coming up the left wing just had to stare at the boards for a split second and Petry’s skates would cross in a double “S” and he’d practically go flying in the crowd!

That is not true at all.

Petry was always a great skater and never struggled in any way with his pivots.

 

[Naslundforever]

That is not true at all.

Petry was always a great skater and never struggled in any way with his pivots.

He had guys fainting left and cutting by him middle more often than Brisebois made telegraphed cross-crease passes. He really progressed and became a great D a few seasons in (Yes, he always has skills though).

 

[HabsAddict]

One of the things that people forget is that Petry is his shot. It went north of 100mph in team testing.

Matheson?

 

[Nhlpowerweek]

Yeah uncle matheson is so smooth and good... lets see how he delivers tonight. A big game for him and Montreal of course. Matheson just makes others better around him... so thats what I'm expecting.

 

[MXD]

The only thing I'm definitely sure about so far is that he shouldn't feature on the PP. Doesn't have the vision or the playmaking.

 

[Naslundforever]

The only thing I'm definitely sure about so far is that he shouldn't feature on the PP. Doesn't have the vision or the playmaking.

The entire team not named Suzuki needs to learn to look left when they pass right or show “shoot” like MSL says. So predictable sometimes, they all get cut way too often. I like Xhekaj‘s swag walking the line.

 

[Suzuki x 14]

For the love of my sanity, can we please stop playing Matheson on the powerplay, especially PP1. He can’t do it, he cannot make a decision, everything is telegraphed, it’s consistent turnovers, I lose my goddamn mind every single Powerplay

 

[OldCraig71]

Jacques Alain must have been good last night. I didn’t see it but looked at the box score, lots of shots. How was my guy Arber?

 

[salbutera]

Remember all that talk of Harris being a guaranteed top-4 Dman and should be on the PP? Good times…

Worth repeating again Matheson & Edmundson missed all of training camp - they’re playing catchup.

For the love of my sanity, can we please stop playing Matheson on the powerplay, especially PP1. He can’t do it, he cannot make a decision, everything is telegraphed, it’s consistent turnovers, I lose my goddamn mind every single Powerplay

Simply put, Habs don’t have other options - their biggest need is a PP QB

 

[Suzuki x 14]

Jacques Alain must have been good last night. I didn’t see it but looked at the box score, lots of shots. How was my guy Arber?

Allen was a stud last night, we won because of him, and Xhekaj last night …. Trying to be nice here, he was not good.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

He had guys fainting left and cutting by him middle more often than Brisebois made telegraphed cross-crease passes. He really progressed and became a great D a few seasons in (Yes, he always has skills though).

Because of his great lateral skating ability he was one of the best open ice hitters in the league.

 

[JianYang]

For the love of my sanity, can we please stop playing Matheson on the powerplay, especially PP1. He can’t do it, he cannot make a decision, everything is telegraphed, it’s consistent turnovers, I lose my goddamn mind every single Powerplay

Gotta give him more time. If you want dach back there on the primary unit, I can live with that but we cant discount how difficult it is to get back into the flow of things after a long layoff, especially considering the timing of the injury.

 

[26Mats]

Remember all that talk of Harris being a guaranteed top-4 Dman and should be on the PP? Good times…

Worth repeating again Matheson & Edmundson missed all of training camp - they’re playing catchup.


Simply put, Habs don’t have other options - their biggest need is a PP QB

I think our best options for a pp1 qb haven't been tried all that much nor at all:

Suzuki
Guhle
Xhekaj
Harris

 

[Naslundforever]

Because of his great lateral skating ability he was one of the best open ice hitters in the league.

He improved his decision making for sure. I think gifted skaters, especially defensemen have more time to get better than most.

 

[Kimota]

Allen was a stud last night, we won because of him, and Xhekaj last night …. Trying to be nice here, he was not good.

They should stop scratching him, they are f***ing with his mind.