Montreal Canadiens sign defenceman Mike Matheson to five-year extension

In his fourth season with the Canadiens, Matheson leads the team in average ice time at 24 minutes 50 seconds per game, which ranks 10th in the NHL.

The six-foot-two, 196-pound rearguard has transitioned from an offensive defenceman to a player who is matched up against opponent’s top scorers.

Matheson was a first-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2012. Montreal acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022.

Matheson set career highs for a season in assists (51), points (62), power-play goals (5) and power-play points (28) in the 2023-24.

Since arriving in Montreal, he ranks seventh in the NHL in average ice time at 25:06.

Matheson has played 649 career NHL games with 78 goals and 201 assists.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2025.

The Canadian Press