Stu Cowan: Mike Matheson enjoys every thing about taking part in for Canadiens

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For the primary half of this season, Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson may stroll round Montreal just about unrecognized.

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“I used to be considering: Wow! That is fairly good,” Matheson mentioned with amusing final Friday when the Canadiens met with the media for the ultimate time this season at their Brossard observe rink.

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Matheson, acquired final summer season from the Pittsburgh Penguins within the Jeff Petry commerce, missed the primary 17 video games this season with an stomach damage he suffered throughout coaching camp. He made his Canadiens debut on Nov. 19 and performed 9 video games earlier than struggling a groin damage that sidelined him for 17 of the following 18 video games.

Matheson wasn’t absolutely wholesome till Jan. 17, when he returned to the lineup and he was capable of play within the final 38 video games. Within the 31 video games after the all-star break, Matheson posted 7-19-26 totals. He completed the season with 8-26-34 totals in 48 video games, setting profession highs in assists and factors after posting 11-20-31 totals in 74 video games final season with the Penguins. Matheson had a plus-7 differential and averaged 24:27 of ice time, essentially the most on the Canadiens.

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Now, he’s acknowledged principally in all places he goes in Montreal.

“As I began taking part in, it positively began taking place extra,” Matheson mentioned. “Everyone you meet is simply so excited concerning the workforce and we had a horrible season. We’re simply at a distinct stage proper now, however there’s nonetheless a lot pleasure across the workforce. It’s actually cool to be part of.”

Matheson grew up in Pointe-Claire on Montreal’s West Island as an enormous Canadiens fan and mentioned it’s “fairly indescribable” to truly be taking part in for the workforce now.

“It’s one thing that each every so often I simply sort of sit again and see an image of myself within the jersey,” he mentioned. “My son, at any time when he sees the Habs brand, he simply says ‘Dada!’ and factors to it. That’s at all times sort of a bizarre second. I’ve spent my entire life idolizing this workforce and this group and to him that’s simply ‘Dad.’ So it’s bizarre.”

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However the bilingual Matheson is loving every thing that comes with being a Canadien.

“Followers are passionate in all places all through the league,” he mentioned. “You possibly can’t discover a constructing the place there aren’t passionate followers that help their workforce. However I feel right here it’s just a little completely different. We had been popping out for intervals down 3-0 and the followers had been nonetheless simply fully behind us, supporting us. That’s such a cool surroundings to play in.

“I feel there’s an understanding that this wasn’t our yr and, as irritating as it’s, I feel everyone understood that they’re pissed off, we’re pissed off, however we’re not going to cease attempting our very best,” Matheson added. “I feel they appreciated that. The truth that we stored going till the top, attempting our greatest. Simply an appreciation for the way nice the followers are is one thing that I knew, however didn’t know to that extent.”

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Matheson is among the older gamers on the Canadiens at 29, however he’s assured he could be a large contributor because the workforce’s rebuild continues. He has three seasons left on his contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $4.875 million. He’s one of many best-conditioned gamers on the workforce — as his ice time attests — and there’s good purpose to consider followers haven’t seen his finest hockey but.

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“I feel we’re quite a bit additional alongside than our document exhibits,” Matheson mentioned concerning the rebuild. “I feel the most important purpose for that’s we didn’t play with our workforce (due to so many accidents), however we nonetheless have our workforce. If it means we had a very struggling, troublesome yr to have a greater draft choose after which be capable of bounce proper again up with a wholesome workforce the following yr, then possibly that’s one thing we will look again on and suppose that was one thing worthwhile.”

Matheson mentioned he’d be taken with taking part in for Crew Canada on the world championships subsequent month in Finland and Latvia if invited, however would first have to debate the doable journey along with his spouse, Emily, whose great-grandmother not too long ago died at age 111.

“She had a tremendous life and so it’s extra of a celebration,” Matheson mentioned about funeral plans being made along with his spouse. “We haven’t talked that a lot in the previous couple of days as a result of she’s again in Buffalo proper now.“

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Emily is from Buffalo and performed defence on the U.S. workforce that beat Canada for the gold medal on the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. The couple and 2-year-old Hudson will spend the low season in Buffalo, the place development of their new residence was not too long ago completed.

What’s Matheson trying ahead to most this summer season?

“Not having to say bye to my son on a regular basis,” he mentioned. “It’s not simple and he’s getting increasingly conscious of it each day of father leaving and pop bringing luggage out. So it is going to be enjoyable to simply spend some prolonged time with him and never have to go away.”

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