Defenceman will get to share some particular time along with his 2-year-old son in Habs’ locker room after taking part in in entrance of massive crowd at Bell Centre.
Mike Matheson was being interviewed in a media scrum following Sunday’s annual Pink vs. White scrimmage on the Bell Centre when the again door of the Canadiens’ locker room opened.
Teammate David Savard was standing there with about 5 of the gamers’ younger youngsters. Considered one of them was 2-year-old Hudson Matheson. Savard confirmed Hudson the place his father was on the different finish of the locker room and the younger boy walked over to see his dad — cute as a button along with his blond hair, vibrant blue eyes and a baseball cap on backward.
The Pink vs. White scrimmage is at all times a enjoyable occasion — for the gamers, followers and particularly youngsters.
All 21,105 tickets for the scrimmage, beginning at $10, had been offered and the occasion raised $234,836 for the Montreal Canadiens Kids’s Basis. Whereas there have been some empty seats, the Bell Centre was virtually full, together with numerous households and youngsters who in all probability can’t afford to attend a regular-season recreation.
“It’s simply not regular,” Matheson stated in regards to the large crowd for a scrimmage that began at 1 p.m. on a beautiful September day. “I’ve performed elsewhere within the league (Florida and Pittsburgh) and it’s very particular to have that many individuals come and assist us for an intrasquad recreation and have the constructing be as loud because it was. It felt like a regular-season recreation in that sense.
“It’s not regular,” Matheson repeated. “It’s very particular and as a participant for the Canadiens it simply makes you understand as soon as extra how particular it’s to play right here.”
The Canadiens haven’t received the Stanley Cup since 1993 — the 12 months earlier than Matheson was born — and so they have missed the playoffs in every of the final two seasons. However the ardour Montreal hockey followers have for this rebuilding group was on show Sunday each inside and out of doors the Bell Centre, the place followers had been lined up beside the parking storage after the scrimmage hoping to get a glimpse of the gamers as they left of their automobiles.
Matheson is aware of all in regards to the ardour Montreal followers have as a result of he grew up in Pointe-Claire as an enormous Canadiens fan.
“It doesn’t trouble me in any manner,” he stated in regards to the vibrant highlight. “I believe it’s lots of enjoyable. I believe it’s a part of why it’s cool and it’s particular to be a Canadiens participant. Hockey’s necessary right here and it’s enjoyable to be taking part in the place hockey’s necessary.”
Nevertheless it was good for Matheson and his spouse, Emily, to get away from Montreal in the course of the summer season and spend time at their new house in Buffalo, the place Emily grew up. Emily performed defence on the U.S. ladies’s hockey group that beat Canada for the gold medal on the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
“I believe there’s one thing to be stated for the household facet of having the ability to go do no matter we wish (in Buffalo) and never type of have that facet (of fan consideration) the place I may give my son undivided consideration wherever we go,” Matheson stated. “However that’s to not say I don’t get pleasure from being right here, too.”
The Pink group beat the White group 4-3 in a shootout. Jared Davidson, Mattias Norlinder and Cole Caufield scored for the Pink, whereas Florian Xhekaj, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Riley Kidney scored for the White. Captain Nick Suzuki scored the successful purpose within the shootout.
Newcomer Tanner Pearson — acquired in a commerce with the Vancouver Canucks final week — was impressed by the fan turnout Sunday.
“When 20,000 individuals present as much as watch an intrasquad recreation — particularly right here — it will get the juices flowing, for certain,” stated Pearson, who might be getting into his eleventh NHL season after stops in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Vancouver.
What additionally bought Pearson’s juices flowing was taking part in on a line with Suzuki and Caufield.
“Get the puck again and provides them the puck,” Pearson stated about his function on that line. “I’ve performed with some fairly good gamers in my profession and there’s at all times one factor in widespread they at all times needed. My recreation’s fairly easy. After they’re open, hopefully discover them as a result of once you bought a fairly good shooter and a fairly good playmaker on the road enjoyable issues will occur.”
Pearson made a lovely move from behind the online to arrange Caufield for his purpose.
When you can’t learn an excessive amount of into line combos this early in coaching camp, one other fascinating line had Kirby Dach at centre between Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher on the White group.
Matheson had newcomer Gustav Lindstrom — acquired from the Detroit Pink Wings within the Jeff Petry commerce — as his defence accomplice.
“It’s nice to play with him,” Matheson stated. “He’s very dependable and straightforward to learn off of, so I’ve loved taking part in with him.”
However certainly not as a lot as Matheson loved having his son with him within the locker room after the scrimmage.
“It’s the very best,” Matheson stated with an enormous smile after the massive media scrum had cleared out. “It’s superior.
“He’s in all probability exhausted,” Matheson added. “Nap time is often 1 o’clock.”