Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Quebec-born defenseman Kris Letang has indeed just made a big statement regarding, among other things, a recent acquisition by Kent Hughes and the Canadiens.
Letang believes that it is Mike Matheson, and not the new acquisition Noah Dobson (nor Lane Hutson either), who is the number one defenseman of the Montreal Canadiens.
It must be said that Letang has a special connection with Matheson, as they played together with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2020 to 2022.
Mike Matheson Is the Number One Defenseman of the Montreal Canadiens, According to Kris Letang
I find his statement interesting, not necessarily because I agree with him (I rank Hutson and Dobson ahead of Matheson), but I think it still shows how Matheson can sometimes be underrated in Montreal.
“As of right now, Mike Matheson is the number one defenseman of the Canadiens.
He is indispensable.”
– Kris Letang
I want to emphasize that this statement from Letang is absolutely not a slight against Lane Hutson or Noah Dobson.
It’s simply a huge vote of confidence in Matheson, who, quietly, recorded 62 points in 82 games in 2023-2024.
Matheson, 31 years old, also played (on average) 25 minutes per game last season, as well as 25 minutes and 30 seconds per game in 2023-2024.
So yes, he is extremely important for the Montreal Canadiens, despite the addition of Noah Dobson.
Previously on HabsFanatics