$39,000,000 Canadiens star bluntly refuses to comment on future contract amid swirling buzzing speculations

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson chose not to discuss his contract situation on Monday. He is 31 years old and in the last year of his eight-year, $39 million deal. If an extension is not signed before July 1 next year, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

After practice, Matheson was asked about his extension talks with the Canadiens, to which he said there is no update.

"There’s no point," Matheson said on Monday, via The Athletic. "We’re not talking, there’s no news. I’d rather just focus on the games we have coming up … It’s just a distraction."

Publicly, there was no update on the Matheson and Canadiens negotiation talks. But through his statement, he has indicated that the process is either put on hold or hasn't even started yet.

Earlier this month, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun said the Canadiens plan to extend his contract. He based his insights on Montreal's order of dealing with several contracts. The Habs first worked on deals for Noah Dobson and Lane Hutson. Now, Matheson’s contract is their next focus.

"Well, Mike Matheson is a UFA at the end of the year," LeBrun said in early October. "And, you know, between the opportunity to trade for Noah Dobson in the off season, and, of course, that long negotiation with Lane Hutson, the Matheson, kind of got pushed to the side.

"But that's going to be a big priority now for Montreal management. They want to extend Mike Matheson."

LeBrun had mentioned that Matheson prefers a four or five-year deal instead of a short one. And the major factor would be Montreal's attempt to find a number that fits their salary cap.

Canadiens value Mike Matheson's presence on their Blue line

Mike Matheson has played well to start the season. He has three goals and three assists in ten games, with a plus-minus rating of 7. In 2023-24, he scored 62 points in 82 games, his best year. His strong play helps Montreal on both offense and defense, so the Canadiens value his experience and leadership.

"The Canadians really value Mike Matheson's leadership, as you know, like I think even more than a lot of people realize, they really think he's an important leader on that team," LeBrun said in a separate discussion last week on The Sick Podcast.

This season, Montreal has started with a 7-3-0 record, and part of that credit goes to Matheson's play. The Habs will have to evaluate his value in their lineup as they aim for another playoff spot this season.