Hockey

The Canadiens’ next priority (according to Pierre LeBrun): sign Mike Matheson
Félix Forget
The Canadiens’ next priority (according to Pierre LeBrun): sign Mike Matheson
Credit: Getty Images

In the last 36 hours, the Canadiens have signed three key players to long-term contracts: Lane Hutson signed an eight-year deal yesterday, and Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton each signed a five-year contract earlier today.Hughes, like his players, was willing to sign at a discount.But now that these matters are settled, it's time to think about what's next in town. And Pierre LeBrun talked about all that on tonight's Insider Trading segment. In fact, according to LeBrun, there's one file that's clearly the club's next priority…and that's that of Mike Matheson, who's being offered a contract extension.

According to LeBrun, talks with Matheson and his clan will begin shortly. There's interest on Matheson's part to stay in town beyond the current season… but a deal will have to be worked out that everyone can live with.And according to LeBrun, the defenseman doesn't want anything to do with a short-term deal: it will take a contract of at least four or five years to interest the defenseman.

We know that Matheson, unlike the youngsters who agree to sign on the cheap, is likely to be on his last real opportunity to sign a big NHL contract… and his best offer probably won't be the Canadiens'.But we also know that he's a local guy who's happy in Montreal: we'll have to see how much that weighs in the balance.Note that with the Hutson case settled, the Habs have just under $28 million at their disposal for next season. The club will have to sign Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach and Arber Xhekaj (and Patrik Laine?), but there will still be plenty of money left over for the club to offer Matheson. Itremains to be seen what the club will be prepared to offer a defenseman who will be 32 next February.

'Overtime'

– KHL: a referee banned for life for a bad goal call

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– Great read on Kirby Dach.

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