MONTREAL – Although it’s been 10 years in the NHL for Mike Matheson, it was only more recently that he got to meet his biggest fan. And that fan knows him as “dad”.
At just three years old, Hudson Matheson has already gotten very attached to our sport. Not surprising, considering that his mom, Emily, is an Olympic gold medallist in women’s hockey and that his dad plays in the best men's hockey league in the world. As the saying goes, it runs in the family.
Night after night at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens’ No. 8 skates in front of his fan club, which also includes little Mila, born last year. A father of two kids, a husband, and an established professional hockey player, the 31-year-old veteran is taking on more roles than ever before and seems to be juggling it all brilliantly.
But in a not-too-distant past, managing his hockey career was more than enough to keep him busy.
“I feel like when I came into the League, I wanted to be the best I could be so badly that it was almost detrimental, where I’d make a mistake or I’d have a bad game, whatever the case may be, and it would eat me inside for days and days,” recalled the Florida Panthers’ first-round pick (23rd overall) in 2012. “In the NHL, if you’re doing that, you’re running through three games probably, and it’s still eating you up. There’s no time to reset and refocus. It kind of bleeds into the next game.”
Known for his fluid and quick skating, his ability to generate offense, and for being a pillar on the blue line, the Pointe Claire native has been enjoying some of the best seasons of his career since arriving in Montreal. It seems to be that a good dose of experience, a dash of talent, and a pinch of letting go made for a winning recipe for the blue-liner.
One thing is certain, in life as in hockey: we rarely enjoy success without gaining some experience. And sometimes, the stars align and we cross paths with the right people at just the right time, people who carry the wisdom that will spur us on to take the next step.
For Matheson, it was none other than Sidney Crosby who inspired him to employ a more forgiving approach with himself after joining the Penguins in 2020.
“He’s obviously one of the most dialed-in people when it comes to being a professional and everything that goes into that. And I almost had a perception of that that means you need to be super hard on yourself, and you know, basically, not have any fun,” recounted Matheson, who played his 600th career game on February 8. “And I feel like having the opportunity to play with him and get to know him on a personal level and become friends and all that made me realize how much he just loves the game and embraces the game. And then also, he’s able to get away from the game, too. Even a guy like that who’s recognized as being so locked in and focused is able to get away and not let it ruin his week if he’s had a bad game, or if the team hasn’t played well.”
Learning to disconnect in a professional context is easier said than done, but the effort still helps. If Matheson could offer advice to his younger self, or to his teammates who are new to the League, it would be to not take things, and oneself, so seriously all the time. Conscious of the fact that his intensity and focus surely helped him get to where he is, it’s all a question of balance.
When he looks in the rearview mirror, Matheson – who’s celebrating 10 years in the NHL – notes that the past decade has flown by, not only in terms of hockey, but also since having kids. Knowing now from experience that things go quickly, the defenseman – who hopes to still have lots of hockey to offer – plans to take full advantage of his family’s presence at the rink and the special moments that come with playing for them, for his childhood team, and in the big League.
“I just try to take advantage of it as much as possible and try to make the most of the short period of time you get to do this,” he concluded.
