Mike Matheson

Mike Matheson

30-Year-Old DefensemanD
Montreal Canadiens
2024 Fantasy Outlook
In terms of offensive production, Matheson had by far his best campaign in 2023-24. He supplied 11 goals and 62 points across 82 contests to shatter his previous career high of 34 points. The 30-year-old's surge was led in large part by his success with the man advantage -- he had 28 power-play points last year after having never recorded more than nine in any previous campaign. The Canadiens didn't change much over the summer, so Matheson is a safe bet to maintain his role on the top power-play unit, and if anything, that might be an even more lucrative position this year thanks to Montreal's core forwards continued development. So even though it might be tempting to assume Matheson will see a drop off after such a big jump in production this late into his career, his circumstances are likely to keep him above the 50-point mark in 2024-25 so long as he stays healthy. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed an eight-year, $39 million contract extension with the Panthers in October of 2017. Traded to the Penguins in September of 2020. Traded to the Canadiens in July of 2022.
Hands out helper in loss
DMontreal Canadiens
December 15, 2024
Matheson notched an assist and three shots on goal in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Jets.
ANALYSIS
Matheson got the puck to Lane Hutson for the rookie defenseman's first NHL tally on a blast from the faceoff dot. The helper ended a four-game slump for Matheson, though that dry spell hasn't cost him his top-pairing spot. The 30-year-old is at 16 points, 50 shots on net, 62 blocked shots, 29 PIM and a minus-10 rating through 28 appearances. It's unlikely he replicates the 62-point career year he had in 2023-24, but Matheson is still a steady source of points, shots and blocks from the blue line.
Read More News
NHL Stats
Loading Skater Stats...
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2024 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2023 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2022 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2021 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2020 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2019 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2018 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2017 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2016 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    24:28
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    2:53
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    3:29
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
24:27
3:11
2:17
2023–24
25:33
3:41
2:59
2024–25
24:28
2:53
3:29
Canadiens Depth Chart
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Canadiens Power Play Depth Chart
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Mike Matheson See More
The Week Ahead: Colorado Hits the Road
14 days ago
Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche will play four games this week, but all four will be on the road.
NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Wednesday, November 27
18 days ago
On Thanksgiving Eve, RotoWire’s Dan Dobish offers his thanks with NHL best bets for all 15 games on Wednesday huge slate.
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, November 26
19 days ago
On a two-game slate, Jeremy Swayman may be the best goaltending opinion for Tuesday FanDuel NHL DFS contests.
NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, November 26
19 days ago
Brad Marchand is on a two-game points streak and provides fantastic value for Tuesday DraftKings NHL DFS contests.
NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Monday, November 18
28 days ago
Artturi Lehkonen has three multi-point games out of the six he has played in this season. He is a great value play for Monday DraftKings NHL DFS contests.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Matheson began the year with an abdominal injury before missing a significant amount of time with a lower-body ailment. All told, he appeared in just 48 games in his first season with the Habs, but was dynamite when healthy, posting eight goals and a career-high 34 points. Matheson served as the quarterback of Montreal's No. 1 power-play unit, averaging 3:11 per game with the man advantage after never seeing more than 1:07 worth of time a man up per game in any of his first six NHL seasons. Matheson's hit and block numbers are middling for a rearguard, but he's again in line for major usage with the Canadiens, making him an intriguing mid-to-late-round target on draft day.
Matheson had the best year of his six-year NHL career a season ago, posting 11 goals and 31 points in 74 games for the Penguins. He added six points in the club's brief seven-game playoff run, although his defensive play against the Rangers in Round 1 wasn't quite as strong. The Penguins dealt Matheson and a draft pick to the Canadiens in July in exchange for Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling. There's a non-zero chance the 28-year-old Matheson could serve as Montreal's No. 1 defender this coming season, although that may not result in a significant bump in production considering he is joining a considerably weaker team.
Matheson's eight-year, $39 million contract he signed while a member of the Panthers back in 2017 remains a significant long-term anchor for Pittsburgh, but he did play better in his first year with the Penguins in 2020-21 (five goals, 16 points in 44 games) than his last few in Florida. Matheson was a plus player (plus-9 rating) for the first time in his career last season in addition to seeing a significant bump in power-play time (58 seconds per game), although he did nothing (one assist) with that opportunity. The Penguins simply need Matheson to play steady, mistake-free hockey, something he is capable of doing, but not a role that will lead to much fantasy value.
The departure of Jack Johnson means there will need to be a new scapegoat on the blue line in Pittsburgh this season and Matheson has all the attributes to fill that void for the Penguins faithful given his large contract and the fact that he was acquired by trading away folk hero Patric Hornqvist. In his last three seasons, the 25-year-old defender has been able to reach the 20-point threshold, including the 2019-20 campaign in which he did so despite playing in just 59 contests. If Matheson is able to contribute at a similar pace this year, it will no doubt be thanks to new defensive coach Todd Reirden.
Matheson is still waiting for that breakout campaign after recording 27 points in each of the past two seasons. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound blueliner doesn't have any glaring weaknesses but struggled with increased responsibility defensively last season, posting a minus-24 rating. While there's still time for growth at age 25, Matheson's ceiling will be capped by a lack of power-play time -- Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad are both locked into significantly larger roles with the extra man.
After a solid 17-point rookie campaign, Matheson took another step forward last year, setting career bests with 10 goals and 27 points. The 6-foot-2 blueliner also played 81 games for the second year in a row and has blocked 255 shots over the last two years. He exceeded 21 minutes of ice time per game, including just over a minute in an increased role on the power play. Matheson has established himself as a key piece to Florida's blue line and signed a huge eight-year contract prior to the start of the 2017-18 season. Health permitting, expect Matheson to preserve his two-way utility on the way to another 25-plus-point output this season.
The Panthers’ patience has really paid off with Matheson, a first-round pick who played three years at Boston College and spent another in the AHL before playing 81 games for Florida this past season. It was surprising how well he adjusted to the NHL as a rookie, averaging 21:03 per game -- third among Florida blueliners behind only Aaron Ekblad and Keith Yandle. Even though Matheson scored just 17 points, he’s known for his high hockey IQ and ability to move the puck. He’s also improved tremendously on the defensive side of the puck, often playing on the first penalty-killing unit. The second season is always tougher for young players, but Matheson is a virtual lock for a top-four role, which should lead to an increase in offensive production.
Florida’s willingness to trade Erik Gudbranson in the offseason likely stemmed from the franchise’s belief in Matheson’s ability to be NHL-ready. The 22-year-old got a small taste of the big leagues with three NHL appearances last season, but spent most of his time accruing eight goals and 12 assists in 54 games for the AHL’s Portland Pirates. While the former Boston College standout does bring some offensive skills to the table, it’s wise to temper expectations early on as he adjusts to the NHL.
After a three-year career at Boston College as a strong two-way defenseman, Matheson made the jump to the AHL for the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. He didn't score a goal and recorded two assists in only five games in the minors, but the Panthers don't believe the lack of professional experience will necessarily preclude him from cracking the Opening Night roster. More than willing to jump into the play on offense, Matheson played alongside another excellent two-way defenseman in Noah Hanifin at BC last season, which at times left them exposed on the back end. As a result, Matheson will need to show he's capable as a shutdown defender before moving up the Panthers' depth chart.
The 20-year-old Matheson is slated to begin his junior season at Boston College in the fall, temporarily leaving his development out of the Panthers’ hands. That being said, the BC coaching staff has certainly guided the first-round selection from 2012 on a favorable career trajectory, with the blueliner earning second-team All-America honors as a sophomore. Matheson, who checks in at a robust 6-foot-2 and 189 pounds, has accumulated 46 points in 74 career games with the Eagles, and seemingly has nothing left to prove at the NCAA level. Once his college campaign concludes, there’s a decent chance Matheson could get some run with the NHL club for a short time late in the season, as the Panthers look to assess their blue line options for 2015-16.
Matheson is coming off a stellar freshman campaign with Boston College, and will probably remain there for at least the 2013-14 season. He racked up eight goals and 17 assists in 36 games with the Golden Eagles, but the 19-year-old probably won't be a factor in the NHL for a couple years. Judging by his most recent campaign though, Matheson is certainly worth keeping an eye on for the future.
More Fantasy News
Logs assist in OT win
DMontreal Canadiens
December 3, 2024
Matheson had an assist, two shots, three blocks and one hit in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime win over the Islanders.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Scores in return
DMontreal Canadiens
November 30, 2024
Matheson scored a goal on four shots, blocked three attempts and had two PIM in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Rangers.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Set to return
DMontreal Canadiens
November 30, 2024
Matheson (lower body) will play Saturday versus the Rangers, according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Out Wednesday
DMontreal Canadiens
Lower Body
November 27, 2024
Matheson (lower body) will miss Wednesday's game against Columbus.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Will be on road trip
DMontreal Canadiens
Lower Body
November 26, 2024
Matheson (lower body) is expected to travel with the Canadiens to Columbus ahead of Wednesday's game versus the Blue Jackets, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Will skip World Championship
DMontreal Canadiens
April 17, 2024
Matheson won't join Team Canada for the IIHF World Championship in May, per RDS.ca.
ANALYSIS
Matheson had 11 goals, 62 points, 58 PIM, 61 hits and 186 blocks in 82 appearances with Montreal this season. After logging at least 75 games for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, perhaps the 30-year-old felt that it would be better to get some rest ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
See All NHL Rumors