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Mike Matheson hit with a wave of unfortunate news in just 24 hours
In 24 hours, Mike Matheson took a hit and received a verdict.
Tuesday night in Florida, the Montreal Canadiens won 3-2 in overtime against the Panthers.
The Canadiens were trailing 2-0 with less than five minutes to play, then Cole Caufield got the game back on track. Nick Suzuki then scored twice, including the power-play game-winner in overtime. Montreal finished the night with 29 shots, while Florida had 30.
The problem is that Matheson did not finish the game.
In overtime, Brad Marchand hit him in the head along the boards, and a minor penalty was assessed on the play. Matheson got back up with difficulty and did not return to the game, which obviously sparked a lot of discussion.
On Wednesday, the NHL chose not to suspend Marchand for the play, and the decision did not go unnoticed.
Mike Matheson is not selected for Team Canada
Mike Matheson has gotten off to an excellent start to the season with the Montreal Canadiens, and it's fair to say he plays an important role on the blue line.
In addition, Hockey Canada unveiled its 25-player roster for the 2026 Olympic Games on Wednesday, and Matheson's name was not on it.
Nick Suzuki is on the roster, arriving with 44 points, thanks to 13 goals and 31 assists. Among the selected defensemen are Cale Makar, Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore, and Devon Toews.
Let's just say these last few days have been unfortunate for Matheson.
Now, everyone is waiting for an update on Matheson's health following the hit. If he has to miss time, the Canadiens will have to redistribute heavy minutes, and quickly.
And that's rarely good news, even after a win.