Montreal Canadiens Lock in Defenceman Mike Matheson with Five-Year, $30 Million Contract Extension
The Montreal Canadiens have secured defenceman Mike Matheson for the long term with a new five-year contract extension worth $30 million. Matheson, who is 31 years old, will earn an average of $6 million per year under this deal. He has been a key player for the team this season, contributing four goals and 14 points in 22 games while logging an average of 24:50 of ice time per game.
Originally drafted in the first round by the Florida Panthers in 2012, Matheson played four seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2020. He joined the Canadiens in 2022 as part of a trade that sent Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling to Pittsburgh. Matheson was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer but will now continue his career in Montreal.
In addition to his NHL career, Matheson has represented Canada at the World Championships, winning gold in 2016 and silver in 2017. With 649 career NHL games under his belt, Matheson has scored 78 goals and accumulated 279 points while playing for the Panthers, Penguins, and now the Canadiens. This contract extension solidifies his role on the Montreal blue line for the foreseeable future.