What Happened
The Montreal Canadiens played without defenceman Mike Matheson on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars. The club announced shortly before the game that a lower-body injury kept the veteran blueliner out of the lineup. Matheson is scheduled to undergo further medical evaluation once the team travels back to Montreal. It remains unconfirmed if this issue is related to the lower-body problem that sidelined him for four games earlier in the month, a stretch that ended with his return on October 23.
Key Details
- Missed Thursday night's game against the Dallas Stars.
- Suffers from a lower-body injury.
- Will be reevaluated once the team returns to Montreal.
- Recorded one goal and four points in eight games this season.
- Averaging 23:45 of ice time per game.
What It Means
Matheson's absence removes a major minutes-eater from the Montreal blue line. The 32-year-old has been a consistent offensive contributor since arriving in 2022-23, highlighted by a 62-point season in 2023-24. His absence adds to an early-season injury list that has already affected key contributors like Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, and Samuel Montembeault for the 7-3-2 Canadiens.
What's Next
Matheson will be evaluated by medical staff upon the team's arrival in Montreal to determine the severity of the injury and a potential timeline for his return.