The Montreal Canadiens and Mike Matheson are going back and forth
Daily Faceoff: David Pagnotta was asked about the Montreal Canadiens and if there is a contract extension coming for defenseman Mike Matheson, and what a deal might look like. They’re not in a rush.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Irfaan Gaffar: “Final one for me, coming up north of the border. I want to get to you on the Montreal Canadiens. You know, they’re fun team to watch. Fans are loving them. I, they’re one of my favorite teams to watch right now. But are we going to be watching it for a contract extension soon for a certain defenseman?
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Pagnotta: “Possibly. They’re continuing to work on it with Mike Matheson on that back end. In the final year of his deal. Local product. He loves playing there, loves being a part of it. Loves being a mentor to some of the younger guys.
Now, his game has changed. Or excuse me, his responsibilities have changed with Hutson being in the mix, and obviously now the addition of Noah Dobson. He can be a little bit more responsible as a two-way type of defenseman versus putting up the 60 whatever points it was a couple years ago and almost 40 last year.
He can be relied upon to be that steady guy who can contribute offensively, and he’s off to a decent start with four points, but that’s that’s the key right there. It’s a 24:05 if he can eat up minutes on that back end and help out some of the younger guys along the way. That’s where the value really comes into play for Marty St. Louis and Kent Hughes and company in Montreal.
They had dialogue over the summer. They had, they re-engaged in that in preseason, and they’re going back and forth right now. It’s an open line of communication. He’d like to stay. The Habs would like to do it. But how does that work?
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Are we talking about a three, four year extension? He’s 31 going on 32. Are we talking about six, 7 million per year? Does he want a little bit more? Will you reduce it if you extend on term? He’s making six and a quarter right now, with his bonus as well. So for this particular season, and I think last, was pretty much the same amount, even though his cap hits a little bit lower.
But he, I think he wants to be in that range. In that six to seven range, depending, again, on term. I think the Habs would be comfortable there, depending on how the term works. So we’ll see kind of where that goes. I know that, that they’re going to go back and forth. There’s not much of a concern on either side to really try to get something, or rush something.”
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