Hockey

A three-year contract for Mike Matheson: David Pagnotta believes it’s possible
Marc-Olivier Cook
A three-year contract for Mike Matheson: David Pagnotta believes it’s possible
Credit: Getty Images

Mike Matheson's case is becoming increasingly important in Montreal.

Especially when you see the way he performs on the ice. He's one of the Canadiens' most important players, and that's why they love him around town.

But speaking of his contract… it's hard to predict what it will look like.

We know that the defenseman wants to stay here because he loves the organization. And at 31, he could be looking to secure his future by signing a multi-year contract… but we could also expect to see him sign a shorter contract than we think.

At this level, David Pagnotta (Hello Hockey) mentioned that it's mainly the number of years in the deal that he thinks is important in the discussions. Which makes sense, in a way.

But Pagnotta also added… saying that he believes a three-year contract – at a salary between $6.25 and $7 million per season – could be possible in the defenseman's case.

The tipster seems to believe, in fact, that we could see a deal like this if Matheson signs a new contract with the Canadiens.

Obviously, this would be an interesting deal for the Canadiens.

In terms of salary, Matheson would fetch an interesting amount (and it would be more than the $4.875 million he's earning right now)… and for the Habs, it could be perfect in the sense that it's not super long either.

And in the worst-case scenario, if Matheson finishes this contract and is still able to give more after the three-year term, there's nothing to stop him signing another one to stay in Montreal. It would help the Habs to see if he still has great value at that point, because offering five or six years at a salary of $6-7 million can come with certain risks too.

That said, Matheson's case has to become a priority for the Habs, and I get the impression that it is right now.

We can't ignore the fact, after all, that he's played such an important role in the team's success so far this season (and for a few years now)… and Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton certainly know it too.

So it's one to watch. And I think it'll be interesting to see how this one pans out… because there seem to be several options – in terms of salary and number of years – on the table.


Overtime

– Oh.

– Nice.

– He's special.

– Enjoy your reading.

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