Canadiens’ Mike Matheson nominated for Masterton Trophy

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (8) in action during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Nashville. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Mike Matheson spends countless hours working on his physical conditioning, which allows him to continue playing a key role with the Montreal Canadiens without being affected by the wear and tear of time.

Matheson has been selected as the Montreal Canadiens’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded annually to an NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game.

Matheson was selected by members of the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA). Each team submits a nominee for this trophy.

“I think there are a lot of people on the team who could be candidates, so it’s a great honour for me,” Matheson said.

The 32-year-old Montreal native remains the Habs’ most-used player, with an average ice time of 24:13. That ranks him 19th in the NHL in average ice time.

“He’s very dedicated to his craft. He’s not a guy who takes things lightly,” said Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis about Matheson. “It’s not just what he does at the arena. There are plenty of times when we get back to the hotel late and he heads to the gym to do things that will help him the next day.

So there are many hours when he works without anyone seeing him, and those hours help him do his job,” added St-Louis.

Matheson is what some would call a “gym rat.” He doesn’t hesitate to give advice to his teammates and share his experience.

He notes, however, that he has always taken care of his body and that this wasn’t a habit he had to develop in the second half of his career. His love for hockey has always been his source of motivation during those long hours of lifting weights and sweating.

“I was doing this even when I was 21, and I think it still helps me today,” Matheson said. “But I think that every morning when I wake up, I know I’m incredibly lucky to have a job playing hockey. That gives me a lot of energy.”

Matheson has also accepted that his role with the Canadiens has shifted over the past few seasons, ceding his spot on the power play to Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson to focus on penalty killing.

Only Esa Lindell of the Dallas Stars has spent more time on the ice during penalty kills than Matheson this season.

“Just because you accept a situation doesn’t mean you’re happy with it,” said St-Louis. “But I think he’s bought into the project. He saw what was happening with the team and accepted his role. And he’s doing the best he can.“He was never the type of guy who would show up at the arena with a sulky face and a bad attitude. On the contrary, he’s always played a very important role with our young players.”

Matheson insisted that he never had any trouble making this transition.

“I think my goal has always been to be an effective player in all phases of the game,” he said. “I’ve always believed that this is how I’d be able to play in the league for a long time.

“Sure, there are roles in sports that are more enjoyable than others, but if your motivation is simply to win, to give your all for your teammates and your team, the rest becomes less important,” he added.

Matheson received eight of the 15 first-place votes and tallied 33 points (8-4-1, 33 points) in the voting. He finished ahead of Brendan Gallagher (6-4-3, 29 points) and Alexandre Texier (0-3-3, nine points).

Josh Anderson was the Habs’ nominee last season. Six Canadiens players have won the Masterton Trophy since it was first awarded in 1968, including goaltender Carey Price at the end of the 2021-2022 season.

- By Alexis Bélanger-Champagne

- - This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 8, 2026.