Mike Matheson's Return to Brossard Sparks Trade Rumors About His Future With Canadiens
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
All summer long, Montreal Canadiens players have been seen on the ice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard.
The most active have certainly been Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine, who have rarely missed a day of training.
But in the past few weeks, several more players have joined the group.
One, however, was missing-and not just anyone-as Mike Matheson had not yet been seen in Brossard.
Until very recently..
"It's starting to feel like back-to-school time here in Brossard; a few players are making their return, including Juraj Slafkovsky, Mike Matheson, Oliver Kapanen, and Arber Xhekaj."
"There are about fifteen of them on the ice." - Pat Hockey
"There are about fifteen of them on the ice." - Pat Hockey
You can guess that his absence in recent weeks has fueled many trade rumors about him.
Mike Matheson: An important piece of the club's rebuild
Let's be honest, since his arrival with the Habs, the veteran Montreal defenseman has been an important part of the club's rebuild.
His 2023-2024 season, which was his best in terms of points (62), gave new life not only to his career but also to the young Canadiens lineup at the time.
Although his 2024-2025 season did not live up to expectations in terms of points (31), he did raise his defensive game.
Not only was he the most relied-on player of the team, but with an average of 25:05 minutes of ice time per game, he was also the seventh most used player in the entire NHL.
But with the rise of the club's young defensemen, one has to wonder if there is still a place for Matheson in Montreal.
Kent Hughes' last key piece to find a center?
I've said it many times, in my opinion, Mike Matheson is Kent Hughes' last card for a major trade.
With the second center position still unfilled for the Habs, it's no wonder the defenseman's absence in Brossard is raising questions and reviving trade rumors.
The problem here is that Matheson is still a useful defenseman for the Habs.
But he now falls to the third or fourth defenseman on the team behind Guhle, Hutson, and Dobson.
The Habs' number 8 will also be playing the final season of his contract, which pays him $4.875M per season.
It would not be surprising if, at 31 years old, the veteran is looking not only for a raise but also for stability.
Signing Matheson long-term could be risky, especially knowing that his current value is high.
Kent Hughes and the club's management will therefore have big decisions to make in the coming weeks.
I just wonder if his absence was related to these upcoming decisions.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 4 | 1567 ANSWERS Mike Matheson's Return to Brossard Sparks Trade Rumors About His Future With Canadiens Will Mike Matheson finish next season in a Montreal Canadiens uniform? | ||
| Yes | 457 | 29.2 % |
| No, he will get traded | 1110 | 70.8 % |
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