The Montreal Canadiens could have inadvertently thrown a monkey wrench into the NHL free-agent market with a recent contract extension.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Habs could have made the 2026 NHL free-agent market a little less enticing. During the December 1 edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman discussed how the Canadiens’ extension of Mike Matheson took a key piece out of next offseason’s free-agent pool.
The Canadiens extended Matheson on Friday to a five-year, $30 million contract, David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period reported.
The deal is great for both Matheson and the Canadiens, but not so much for teams looking to bolster their blue line. Matheson was one of the hottest names at last season’s trade deadline. This summer, chatter picked up around the 31-year-old defenseman, as his impending UFA status made him a viable trade candidate.
However, the Canadiens weren’t hearing any of it. They went ahead and extended their assistant captain, keeping him in the fold for the foreseeable future.
Other teams looking for help on the blue line may have to pivot to other, older players. The UFA market will feature some household, albeit older, names.
In the meantime, the Habs’ defensive core looks solid with Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and Matheson all signed to long-term deals.
Matheson Didn’t Want to Leave Montreal
One of the key issues Friedman underscored was how Matheson did not want to leave Montreal. Matheson joined the Habs ahead of the 2022-23 season as part of the Jeff Petry trade. Since then, he’s been a mainstay. The veteran blueliner had his best season in 2023-24, scoring 11 goals and 61 points in 82 games.
Last season, Matheson saw a dip in his offensive numbers, but maintained his generally reliable two-way presence. He was instrumental in helping the Habs return to the postseason after a short hiatus.
It’s worth pointing out that Matheson was a good soldier during the Canadiens’ short retool/rebuilding, enduring a couple of really tough seasons.
Now, the team has rewarded their veteran stalwart’s loyalty. The two sides can now confidently move forward as the club looks to become a serious playoff contender this season and beyond.
Canadiens Needed to Take Care of Other Business First
There was one other interesting point Friedman made. The notable insider pointed out that the Canadiens needed to take care of other pressing business matters before extending Matheson.
The first issue was Noah Dobson. Once the Habs were able to land Dobson via trade, the focus turned to signing him to an extension. That deal came relatively quickly.
Then, the biggest issue remained Lane Hutson. Things could have potentially gotten away from the Canadiens with Hutson. However, both sides worked out a very amicable agreement.
Once Hutson was signed, the onus turned to Matheson. As Friedman pointed out, Montreal GM Kent Hughes was Matheson’s agent at one point. So, the familiarity allowed the two sides to show patience and trust.
That situation enabled Matheson and the Habs to work out a deal that benefits both sides. Now, the real work begins as the Canadiens attempt to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2021.
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