Mike Matheson’s path back to confidence in the NHL started in a place he never expected: the edge of quitting.
The Canadiens defenseman said he considered walking away from hockey during his final season with the Florida Panthers, a stretch he remembers as one of the hardest periods of his career. His role had shrunk from 22 minutes a game to 18 or less, and with that came a loss of confidence that cut deep.
He says the slump didn’t stay on the ice. Matheson admits he wasn’t easy to be around, whether he was at the rink or at home, and even getting out of bed in the morning had become a battle. At one point, he seriously wondered whether hockey was still worth it.
A few months later, Florida dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Patric Hornqvist. He spent two seasons in Pittsburgh before landing with the Canadiens, and that move helped change everything.
Matheson says being around Sidney Crosby and Kristopher Letang played a big part in rebuilding his belief in himself. Then, a year later, he and his wife had their first child, which he calls the biggest turning point of all.
That changed his outlook. He wanted to make his family proud and show his children what a strong work ethic looks like.
Now 32, Matheson carries a $6 million cap hit with Montreal, and when he’s healthy he logs more than 23 minutes a night. His story is a sharp reminder that NHL players are dealing with real personal battles behind the scenes, and Matheson says he’s learned how to let things go and stay fully present for his children.
For a defenseman who has rebuilt his game after staring down the possibility of walking away, that comeback carries real weight.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Have Real Reason To Watch Dylan Larkin
Nick Suzukis injury has left the Canadiens looking for center help, and that search has naturally pushed Dylan Larkin into the conversation. Chris Johnston reported that Montreals interest is real and that general manager Kent Hughes has already prepared an offer, which gives the rumor more weight than a typical deadline-day whisper. For a team trying to stabilize its middle down the stretch, even the possibility of landing a legitimate top-six center is enough to keep the spotlight on a player of Larkins caliber.
Johnston also noted there is at least some optimism around Larkin being open to thinking about Montreal, even if a move does not appear close right now. His no-trade list reportedly does not include Canadian clubs, which keeps the Canadiens in the frame as they look for a way to address their depth issues without waiting for the market to solve itself. For now, it is more a reason to watch than a reason to expect action, but it is still a notable shift for a team that badly needs answers at center. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans May Not Like What Dobson Means For Edvinsson
The Noah Dobson trade already gave Canadiens fans a clear measuring stick for what a top-end young defenseman can cost in todays market. Montreal paid Emil Heineman and two 2025 first-round picks to land Dobson, a price that immediately framed how expensive it is to pry away a player who can anchor a blue line for years.
Pierre LeBruns comparison only sharpens that reality when Simon Edvinsson enters the conversation. The young Detroit defenseman is viewed as a top-four piece with plenty of upside, and any trade for him would require a major haul, the kind that makes Montreals Dobson package look less like an outlier and more like the starting point for a bigger discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Center Decision After Suzuki Injury
Nick Suzukis injury has left Montreal with a center question it did not expect to be dealing with this soon, and the waiver wire has quickly become part of the conversation. Georgii Merkulov is among the names available, along with Jack Ahcan and Kurtis MacDermid, while recent claims on Daemon Hunt and Jack St. Ivany have already shown that teams are willing to move on these players before the market tightens further.
For the Canadiens, Merkulov stands out as a possible fit because of his strong AHL production and the need for another option down the middle. The timing adds another layer of interest, with Winnipeg also dealing with a defenseman absence ahead of its meeting with Montreal, but the real question for Kent Hughes is whether the waiver process will even give the Canadiens a clean shot at addressing Suzukis absence the way they want. [Read more 🡒]