Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson is going to miss two weeks with a lower-body injury.
That is going to create some opportunity for younger Canadiens defensemen to step into bigger roles.
Mike Matheson out two weeks with a lower-body injury
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) October 31, 2026
Mike Matheson Handles Big Responsibility for the Habs
Matheson, 32, logs 23:45 of ice time per game for Montreal, ranking second on the team in average time on ice. That puts him behind only Lane Hutson on the Montreal blueline.
In eight games this season, Matheson has contributed a goal and three assists with 15 shots on goal. Coming into the season, he had recorded more than 30 points in five consecutive seasons.
His possession numbers have not been ideal, with the Canadiens controlling 46.3 percent of the shot attempts during 5-on-5 play when Matheson is on the ice. At the same time, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis is giving Matheson some of the more difficult assignments.
Mike Matheson starts just 28.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. That rate is the lowest of his career, but indicative of how the Canadiens use Matheson in a way that helps to free up Hutson offensively.
Matheson’s Injury Leaves More Ice Time Available
With Matheson out, the Canadiens have a set top four defense which includes Hutson, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, and Alexandre Carrier. Those players will continue to play the most.
Where Mike Matheson’s injury is likely to be felt is in the opportunities made available to the likes of Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom.
Xhekaj is popular with Montreal fans, in part because he is one of the league’s top heavyweights, but his role has been inconsistent. In the aftermath of the Matheson news, Xhekaj played 13:40 in Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh. It was his second highest ice time in 13 games this season.
The other Habs blueliner that could see more responsibility in Matheson’s absence is Adam Engstrom. The 22-year-old defender is averaging a modest 10:58 of ice time per game this season, but his results have been favorable. In eight games, Enstrom has a Corsi percentage of 55.9 percent and the Canadiens have outscored opponents 7-3.
Could the Canadiens Promote a Defenseman From the AHL?
Canadiens prospects David Reinbacher and Luke Mittelstadt are both candidates to get called up if Montreal needs help on defense.
Reinbacher, the fifth overall pick in the 2023 Draft, has four points and is plus-6 in nine AHL games. Mittelstadt, a seventh-round pick from 2023, is leading the AHL with 16 points (and a plus-5 rating) in 11 games.
Montreal has already managed to thrive in the face of injuries to star forwards Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov.
However, the loss of Matheson, even for a short period of time, does present the team with new challenges. Or, in the view of young Canadiens defenders, potentially new opportunities.
Mike Matheson Injury Creates Opportunities for Younger Habs