Hockey

“I’d give Mike Matheson the same contract as Jake Walman”
Félix Forget
“I’d give Mike Matheson the same contract as Jake Walman”
Credit: Getty Images

Mike Matheson has been the subject of countless trade rumors in recent months. The defenseman, who is in the final year of his contract, will have one last opportunity to break the bank next summer… but in Montreal, it would be hard to justify such a big contract.The club already has big contracts on the blue line (Noah Dobson and Kaiden Guhle), and Lane Hutson has yet to sign. And while there are plenty of good young defensemen in town, Matheson is playing some great hockey right now. The pair he forms with Noah Dobson is off to a great start, and it's hard to imagine trading him to a team with playoff aspirations this season.

So all of a sudden, the idea of him signing a contract extension is starting to become popular again. And on Tony Marinaro's Sick Podcast, Éric Bélanger said he'd be willing to give Matheson the same contract Jake Walman signed in Edmonton.We're talking a pact worth $7 million a year… for seven years.

Such a contract would see Matheson under contract until the age of 39… and that's kind of the problem with that idea: it would be a very, very long time. From the standpoint that the Habs already have a lot of resources invested in their blue line, it's hard to justify such a contract, no matter how good Matheson is.But on the other hand, if he reaches the free-agent market, you have to expect that at least one team will be willing to give him such a contract. Vladislav Gavrikov received such a contract last summer with the Rangers, for example: a big top-4 defenseman on the independent market is worth his weight in gold.Considering that Matheson loves playing in Montreal and doesn't want to leave, it's debatable whether he'd accept a little less (whether in money or in years). But one thing is clear: if Kent Hughes wants to keep him, he'll have to be prepared to pay… possibly for many years to come.I have a feeling we'll be talking more and more about this issue once Lane Hutson's case is settled.Speaking of the wolf,

– We'll be watching this!

– Let's hope it lasts, now.

– Blue Jays force changes at Maple Leafs.

– Too bad

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