Mike Matheson isn’t as bad defensively as people think, believes Stu Cowan

Mike Matheson has actually been playing in Montreal for 2 years now. In those 2 seasons, we’ve familiarized a defenseman who, offensively, is really amongst the league’s elite.

He’s no Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, however he did rating 62 points in 2015. That puts him in the top-10 amongst NHL defensemen in 2023-24.

That stated, there are fans who slam his protective play. We see him devote turnovers, and some hold it versus him.

He confesses annoys him when he’s slammed in this location

Just recently, the topic showed up on Tony Marinaro’s Ill Podcastand visitor Stu Cowan specified that, in his viewpoint, Matheson actually isn’t as bad defensively as he’s been slammed.

Is Mike Matheson genuinely a protective liability@StuCowan1 signs up with @tonymarinaro to discuss this typical criticism

Complete pod
Enjoy: https://t.co/SsFCfRnnkS
Listen: https:// t.co/ 5JIjC3sI6B #GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast pic.twitter.com/UDKDtBLpxE

— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) May 4, 2024

And in truth, his argument isn’t all that insane.

For Cowan, Matheson’s turnarounds are not attributable to protective restrictions, however to his scenario:

Any gamer who plays as numerous minutes, has the puck on his stick as typically and attempts to develop offense as frequently as he does is going to dedicate turnovers– Stu Cowan

Last season, Matheson ended up third on the Habs in scoring, behind just Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Juraj Slafkovský was the other gamer to reach the 50-point plateau, and Alex Newhook had the speed to reach it had he played 82 video games, however plainly, the Habs required Matheson to invest his time developing offense.

Which’s not counting the reality that they likewise required him to play huge minutes versus opposing leading trios and play short-handed … however let’s concentrate on the very first point.

The Habs do not have sufficient offending skill to manage to do without Matheson’s offending contribution. Matheson needs to take more dangers to attempt and assist his club rating objectives, and this undoubtedly results in turnovers.

On the other hand, without this aggressiveness, all the best seeing the Habs score adequate objectives to win.

Ultimately, the Tricolore will hope that other guys will step up to produce offense, permitting Matheson to take less dangers … however at the very same time, possibly it’s that aggressiveness that makes him so effective.

He wasn’t as aggressive in Pittsburgh, where he was viewed as such a liability that they wished to eliminate his agreement.

Now, then, Matheson is important to the club’s offending success, and even if it costs a couple of turnovers from time to time (and there are video games where it harms a lot), there are video games where without Matheson’s aggressiveness, the Habs would never ever have actually won.

Which’s another excellent factor not to trade him this summer season

In a gust

— Kaiden Guhle is among the Team Canada gamers who wanted the Canadian U18 team best of luck.

Group Canada Group Canada

Group Canada Group Canada #U 18MensWorlds | #MensWorlds | #MondialMasculinM 18 | #MondialMasculin pic.twitter.com/U58P9QiRHa

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 4, 2024

— Read more.

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