The Canadiens will be without one of the most important minutes-eaters on their blue line Tuesday night, with Mike Matheson scratched against the Buffalo Sabres because of a lower-body injury.
Montreal said Matheson is day-to-day, and the team is expected to go with 12 forwards and eight defensemen in the Atlantic Division matchup. Owen Beck will slide into the lineup to help fill the opening.
It’s not clear exactly when the injury surfaced. Matheson logged 23:01 of ice time over 23 shifts in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, and multiple reports indicated he had been dealing with the issue before Montreal decided some rest was the best move.
The 32-year-old has played in all five of the Canadiens’ games to open the 2026-27 season. He picked up an assist in the team’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs to start the year, but has not recorded a point since then. Even so, he’s been a steady presence, averaging 24:09 per game and sitting at minus-3.
Matheson’s offensive numbers haven’t matched his breakout 2023-24 season, when he piled up a career-high 62 points, but that hasn’t changed his value to Montreal. He’s topped 30 points in each of the last five seasons and added four points in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final.
The Pointe-Claire, Que. native is now in the first season of a five-year extension that carries a $6 million average annual value through 2030-31.
In Other News...
Sabres Open Road Trip With A Dahlin Problem Ruff Must Solve
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For a team already trying to settle into the rhythm of life away from home, Dahlins absence changes the look and feel of the defense group right away. Ruff has to manage the opening leg without one of his most important players traveling with the team, and the next update on Dahlin will shape how Buffalo handles the rest of the trip. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Nearly Stole A Point Despite A Growing Problem
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The bigger concern, though, is how often Buffalo is having to patch together its blue line just to stay afloat. The Canadiens took control in the second period before the Sabres battled back to force overtime, but the defensive absences have become hard to ignore, especially with another roster move needed to cover the gap and keep the group functional. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Injury Uncertainty Is Starting To Put Real Pressure On Buffalo
The Sabres early-season juggling act got a little more complicated this week, with head coach Lindy Ruff offering no significant update on Rasmus Dahlin after the defensemans upper-body injury. Buffalo has already had to lean on lineup changes throughout its 3-3-1 start, and the absence of one of its most important blue-line pieces only adds to the uncertainty around a team still trying to settle in.
The injury list is not easing up, either. Goalie Alex Lyon has hit a slight setback and will be off the ice for a few days, while Tyson Kozak has been sent back to Buffalo for further evaluation, leaving the Sabres to keep adjusting on the fly as the schedule moves on. For a club that has been trying to build some rhythm, the constant shuffling is starting to feel like more than just a short-term inconvenience. [Read more 🡒]