Player Discussion Mike Matheson

[Redux91]

We can see why a Matheson who has endured all the losing, wants to stay though.........could there be a sweetheart discount deal in the waiting?? The team is on the upswing.....
The habs can't turn the D over to all the kids can they? We need some veteran type guys.
Matheson can skate like the wind...........in a modified role he could be a keeper??

He endured all the losing because he was a huge REASON for the losing lol

He's a great guy don't get me wrong
But his speed was not there this year
And he messed up a TON of plays that led to goals against, even playoffs

The 'kids on d' you're referring to are all 1-2 years older now
And you can bring in a 30 yr old RIGHT D to replace mathesons 'seniority'

On a team that has Hutson and Guhle on the left now
There is simply just no spot for Matheson anymore
It happens
HuGo know exactly what to do here
It's business.

 

[Habs]

Trade him before he's -65 this year and has zero value

 

[Tyson]

Why??
Who's making this guarantee??

You have Hutson about to make 8 million
Guhle now at 5.5M

People still think we're giving Mike 6-7M??
Not so fast anymore

And that's just the left side
We need to give 6-7M to a RIGHT D anyway before we completely mess up and blunder by giving that money to an over 30 offensive Left Dman who's lost his offensive role.

We don't even HAVE 2 of 3 RD's for next year, they are actual holes in the line up

But let's give *more* money to a redundant D who we have already split in half with the 23 yr old Guhle and 21 yr old Hutson?

He's gone guys
It makes 0 financial sense to keep Matheson any longer
And that's most likely what they were discussing

It makes zero sense I agree but I don't think Hughes will not want to extend him.

 

[Captain Mountain]

He endured all the losing because he was a huge REASON for the losing lol

He's a great guy don't get me wrong
But his speed was not there this year
And he messed up a TON of plays that led to goals against, even playoffs

The 'kids on d' you're referring to are all 1-2 years older now
And you can bring in a 30 yr old RIGHT D to replace mathesons 'seniority'

On a team that has Hutson and Guhle on the left now
There is simply just no spot for Matheson anymore
It happens
HuGo know exactly what to do here
It's business.

He was one of the fastest D in the NHL per NHL Edge this year.

 

[Miller Time]

He endured all the losing because he was a huge REASON for the losing lol

He's a great guy don't get me wrong
But his speed was not there this year
And he messed up a TON of plays that led to goals against, even playoffs

The 'kids on d' you're referring to are all 1-2 years older now
And you can bring in a 30 yr old RIGHT D to replace mathesons 'seniority'

On a team that has Hutson and Guhle on the left now
There is simply just no spot for Matheson anymore
It happens
HuGo know exactly what to do here
It's business.

all about the cap implications.

This roster is significantly better with Matheson in it than without him. Neither Strubble nor Xhekaj are close to being able to provide the same impact.

If we're looking to upgrade the roster quality going into next season, and trading Matheson achieves that, great.

my hope is we don't keep him then lose him for nothing next summer

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He endured all the losing because he was a huge REASON for the losing lol

He's a great guy don't get me wrong
But his speed was not there this year
And he messed up a TON of plays that led to goals against, even playoffs

The 'kids on d' you're referring to are all 1-2 years older now
And you can bring in a 30 yr old RIGHT D to replace mathesons 'seniority'

On a team that has Hutson and Guhle on the left now
There is simply just no spot for Matheson anymore
It happens
HuGo know exactly what to do here
It's business.

I didn't see any drop in speed. But the mistakes were horrible.

I agree, time to move on.

 

[Redux91]

He was one of the fastest D in the NHL per NHL Edge this year.

Felt like he was slower really

But either way, that doesn't change my mind anyway lol

He is *horrible*
And its a BIG mistake keeping him, let alone extending him

Cannot happen
Will not happen

 

[The Great Weal]

He's getting traded for Andersson. Flames need speed from the backend and a LHD that is more offensive minded.

 

[tazsub3]

I didn't see any drop in speed. But the mistakes were horrible.

I agree, time to move on.

though mistakes tend to happen when you are overplayed ..
I think in his case, get. someone to take the icetime away and would look pretty damn good plaing 20 min a game instead of 25-27

 

[tazsub3]

Felt like he was slower really

But either way, that doesn't change my mind anyway lol

He is *horrible*
And its a BIG mistake keeping him, let alone extending him

Cannot happen
Will not happen

no he is not horrible, but he aint a 1-2 dmen like he being played .
Slot him in the 4 slot, and on the pk and he would be a very very valuable player

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

though mistakes tend to happen when you are overplayed ..
I think in his case, get. someone to take the icetime away and would look pretty damn good plaing 20 min a game instead of 25-27

Good point. He's definitely been overplayed.

Does he fit into our longterm plans though? Do we want to move Hutson to the right side? I don't want him developing there. So it's Matheson or we move guys like Struble and X to make room. It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[tazsub3]

Good point. He's definitely been overplayed.

Does he fit into our longterm plans though? Do we want to move Hutson to the right side? I don't want him developing there. So it's Matheson or we move guys like Struble and X to make room. It just doesn't make sense to me.

hutson looked more then fine on the right.Keep in mind, if we aspire to challenge for a cup, we need experienced depth on d. so i am more then happy with matheson as 4-5 D for the next 4 years more or less. I expect he extends around 5 and that would be more then fine as a salary with the new cap.
What i am not fine with though, is them using matheson as a first pairing d with first pairing minutes.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

hutson looked more then fine on the right.Keep in mind, if we aspire to challenge for a cup, we need experienced depth on d. so i am more then happy with matheson as 4-5 D for the next 4 years more or less. I expect he extends around 5 and that would be more then fine as a salary with the new cap.
What i am not fine with though, is them using matheson as a first pairing d with first pairing minutes.

But - barring us getting Crosby for picks/prospects - we're not winning the cup now. We're not winning next year either. I get the argument of having depth but we already have that on the left side with X and Struble.

I'd rather we trade him for help elsewhere.

 

[tazsub3]

But - barring us getting Crosby for picks/prospects - we're not winning the cup now. We're not winning next year either. I get the argument of having depth but we already have that on the left side with X and Struble.

I'd rather we trade him for help elsewhere.

But what you are saying is that we might be a player , albeit a Crosby caliber player from being a contender , well the way I see it , if that is the case and you have a d that is mobile , can be good if not overplayed and is from your own city and a good role model , then by all means I keep him and add to him .
As contenders need not only depth but depth that can be good , and Matheson is still way better then x and struble.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

But what you are saying is that we might be a player , albeit a Crosby caliber player from being a contender , well the way I see it , if that is the case and you have a d that is mobile , can be good if not overplayed and is from your own city and a good role model , then by all means I keep him and add to him .
As contenders need not only depth but depth that can be good , and Matheson is still way better then x and struble.

I wouldn’t keep him. I think he’d be very useful as a trade chip.

If we do keep him I don’t think it’s a terrible move. I think you’re right, there’s some merit to keeping him - as you’ve outlined here. I just wouldn’t do it personally.

If he does stay, he needs to simplify his game. He can be effective in stretches but then tries to do too much. He needs to play to his strengths and not try to be Paul Coffey.

 

[BLONG7]

He endured all the losing because he was a huge REASON for the losing lol

He's a great guy don't get me wrong
But his speed was not there this year
And he messed up a TON of plays that led to goals against, even playoffs

The 'kids on d' you're referring to are all 1-2 years older now
And you can bring in a 30 yr old RIGHT D to replace mathesons 'seniority'

On a team that has Hutson and Guhle on the left now
There is simply just no spot for Matheson anymore
It happens
HuGo know exactly what to do here
It's business.

If we could trade him for a vet RD it would be a huge win for the habs.

 

[salbutera]

It’ll come down to $$$ as it almost always does, if Matheson takes a hometown discount, wouldn't surprise me if he’s extended - I don’t see MM getting market $$$ though

 

[Scriptor]

It makes zero sense I agree but I don't think Hughes will not want to extend him.

I suspect Matheson will sign an extension for three years as a 32-yr-old past February next year. Somewhere around 3.5M like Savard had gotten, maybe 4M because Matheson, compared to Savard can actually skate.

I think it actually would make sense on some level:

Next year, another year where winning a Cup is an impossibility, Matheson can serve again as a stop gap-solution in the top-4, with Hutson playing on the right side alongside Guhle that would remain on his natural side, as we saw for short while near the end of this year. Reinbacher, or Mailloux, can get an audition on the third pairing (I'd play Mailloux, to see if he can stick in the NHL and let Reinbacher play a full season in Laval to get stronger and try to put his knee injury behind him.

Matheson - Carrier
Guhle - Hutson
Xhekaj - Mailloux/Reinbacher
Struble

Come playoff time, if Reinbacher gets called up at the trade deadline, and Mailloux plays wellenougsh as a 3rd pairing D, the D-Corps picture would already potentially become radically different and Matheson could start taking on his future role with the Habs.

Guhle - Carrier
Hutson - Reinbacher
Matheson - Mailloux
Xhekaj - Struble

The following season (first of Matheson's extension), Matheson could be part of a mobile 3rd pairing and play the same shutdown role he had played with Carrier as a stop-gap the previous season:

Hutson - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux
Matheson - Carrier
Xhekaj, Struble

Matheson's smooth skating style should age well as a 32, 33 and 34 yr-old. He'll be 35 by the end of the last season in his future 3-year contract.

He would be useful as protection in case an injury and can also serve as a tradechipin the last two seasons of his future contract.

It would also keep Xhekaj in line as a depth D and reduce the cost of a future extension for him with the Habs. He can find a full-time spot in the lineup once Matheson moves on. Xhekaj would be 27 or 28, more mature and in his prime as an NHL D when Montreal will start competing for a Cup..

 

[Scriptor]

I wouldn’t keep him. I think he’d be very useful as a trade chip.

If we do keep him I don’t think it’s a terrible move. I think you’re right, there’s some merit to keeping him - as you’ve outlined here. I just wouldn’t do it personally.

If he does stay, he needs to simplify his game. He can be effective in stretches but then tries to do too much. He needs to play to his strengths and not try to be Paul Coffey.

I can see a 3rd pairing of Matheson - Carrier in two years. That's probably one of the best and most mobile 3rd pairings you will find in the league.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I can see a 3rd pairing of Matheson - Carrier in two years. That's probably one of the best and most mobile 3rd pairings you will find in the league.

Okay. So we trade Xhekaj then? Struble too I guess?

 

[Naslundforever]

Okay. So we trade Xhekaj then? Struble too I guess?

Only 6 spots for Def; Habs been total crap and just had an improbably « mid » season with the captain pulling everyone… Pretty sure if some of out favorites don’t get pushed out of the line up the habs will keep just sucking unfortunately.

LD is a tough spot to earn.. after Hutson and Guhle there’s only one spot left and that includes the line up, farm and future drafts / trades / ufa’s

Once Matheson retires you regret losing Xjekaj but not sure how he would be ahead in the depth chart

Habs need to keep swinging for home runs and package prospects and picks for a few top tier players (including the sheriff).. Suzuki prime years are now.

And need a 1RHD..

 

[themilosh]

Okay. So we trade Xhekaj then? Struble too I guess?

They land the Lehkonen-type players when the time is right.. thats how depth works.. your team starts having too many nhl calibre players with too few spots available. So they are traded for specific needs.

Asset management is how teams win: long term sustainable growth.

 

[WinterLion]

people underestimate how important and valuable he is on this team. Still I feel it's time to move on because I don't want to sign his next contract... which probably won't age well...

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Only 6 spots for Def; Habs been total crap and just had an improbably « mid » season with the captain pulling everyone… Pretty sure if some of out favorites don’t get pushed out of the line up the habs will keep just sucking unfortunately.

LD is a tough spot to earn.. after Hutson and Guhle there’s only one spot left and that includes the line up, farm and future drafts..

Once Matheson retires you regret losing Xjekaj but not sure how he would be ahead in the depth chart

Habs need to keep swinging for home runs and package prospects and picks for a few top tier players (including the sheriff).. Suzuki prime years are now.

I think Xhekaj provides a dimension we lack. I think he’s also got a great shot and good potential. He doesn’t skate like Matheson but I’d rather invest in developing him than Matheson.

Matheson can fill in a number two pairing spot on a lot of clubs. I think he’d have good trade value and I think well should maximize it.

 

[Naslundforever]

I think Xhekaj provides a dimension we lack. I think he’s also got a great shot and good potential. He doesn’t skate like Matheson but I’d rather invest in developing him than Matheson.

Matheson can fill in a number two pairing spot on a lot of clubs. I think he’d have good trade value and I think well should maximize it.

Yeah ideally habs become so strong at RHD Xhekaj stays in the line up as 3ld.. We’ll see how the summer goes If it’s status quo it kind of sucks to watch all these average nhlers play on their off side so they can ice their tough guy.

No-one in the org can safely step in and improve on Matheson right now; he’s 2-3 lhd ahead of Stuble and Xjekaj. I’m on the trade him train too; you need a top tier RHD on that team to better last year..