The events of the last hours highlight a deeply affected Mike Matheson, overwhelmed by pressure and consumed by humiliation.
In front of journalists, the Montreal defender suggested an alarming fragility. His trembling, almost broken voice and his eyes clouded with emotion showed a man on the verge of tears.
This video clip makes you sad…we’ve warned you.
Every word he uttered resonated like a cry of distress, and the Canadian’s supporters could only helplessly watch this emotional collapse.
“Yes, it’s embarrassing.”
Asked about the debacle of the day before, where the team once again conceded six goals or more – for the eighth time this season – Matheson did not try to shy away.
“Yes, it’s embarrassing. There’s not much to say other than that. Fans are treated to a lot better than that. »
These words, filled with shame and disarming lucidity, suggest the extent to which the defender’s pride has been reached.
Matheson, a Montreal guy, knows better than anyone what it means to play in front of passionate but demanding fans.
When asked about the causes of this recurring defensive collapse, Matheson mentioned the youth of the team, while refusing to see it as an acceptable justification.
“Yes, I think it’s certain that the youth is there, but by saying that, it’s still not acceptable either. »
This recognition, although sincere, was not enough to allay concerns. Because it is not just the mistakes of an inexperienced group that are at fault, but a chronic inability to respond to challenges when they arise.
Matheson also expressed the weight of frustration that is eating away at the locker room.
“I think right now everyone is very frustrated. We’re going to have a metting in a few minutes, then it’s not going to be fun, that’s for sure. »
This almost clumsy slip of the tongue says a lot about the team’s state of mind. Hockey, supposed to be a game, a pleasure, seems to have become an ordeal for this group, and Matheson feels it more than anyone.
“It’s important to turn the page”
Still, Matheson strives to maintain perspective, reiterating the importance of turning the page.
“After that, it’s important to really turn the page and focus on Winnipeg. Because even if we won against Pittsburgh, we have to prepare to make sure that we start well, and that we play well against Winnipeg.”
These words, although lucid, struggle to mask a deep discouragement. Matheson, tired and discouraged, seems to be clinging to the idea that the next game might be a breath of fresh air.
The most striking moment of this interview is undoubtedly this trembling, wavering voice, while Matheson tried as best he could to answer the journalists’ questions.
He thanked several times (thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you) as if to end a conversation that had become too heavy to bear. What is clear is that Matheson is at a turning point.
His pride, his confidence, and perhaps even his passion for the game seem to be put to the test.
If the Montreal Canadiens want to regain stability on the ice, they will first have to ensure that their leaders, like Matheson, do not collapse under the weight of expectations.
For the moment, this Montreal defender, who so often embodies resilience, seems strangely fragile, as if this difficult season had drained him of his enthusiasm.
We can only hope that he will find the support he needs, before this situation leaves its mark.
Mike Matheson’s case became the center of a media whirlwind after yesterday’s game.
His level of play, considered disastrous by fans, seems to affect him well beyond the ice rink. At the intersection of immense pressure to thrive in his hometown and a steady stream of scathing, nasty criticism, Matheson now appears a broken man.
His performances are no longer just analyzed, they are dissected with a ferocity that leaves him no room to breathe.
In front of journalists, Matheson showed a disconcerting fragility, almost painful to watch. His trembling voice, his eyes almost clouded with tears and his answers interspersed with heavy silences say a lot about his state of mind.
His gaze was shifty, as if he already knew that his words would not be enough to appease the anger of the supporters.
Matheson, a proud Montrealer, knows better than anyone what it means to wear the Canadiens uniform in front of a demanding crowd.
But he also knows that, in this city, critics can be merciless. Social networks offer him no respite.
Comments like “Matheson is not a quarterback, period” or “He looked like he was playing drunk!” » are circulating at lightning speed.
He reads these words, he hears them, and they weigh heavily on his shoulders.
For Matheson, these criticisms are not just lip service. They directly attack his pride and his deep attachment to the team.
He is aware that several supporters are already calling for his departure, hoping that management will compromise as quickly as possible.
This idea, for a player so proud to represent Montreal, is undoubtedly the most painful of all.
On the ice, Matheson seems to carry the weight of the world. Always late to games, unable to keep up, he became a hindrance rather than an asset.
Just yesterday, its inability to reposition itself effectively led to costly turnovers. The numerical advantage, supposed to be its strong point, turned into a frustrating exercise of predictable passes and missed restarts.
He always found himself on his backside.
Worse still, instead of reducing his playing time to allow him to get his act together, Martin St-Louis continued to give him major responsibilities, particularly on the first power play unit.
A decision perceived as incomprehensible by the supporters, who did not fail to point out that Lane Hutson would have been a much more logical option.
Beyond the individual case of Matheson, it is the management of the team which is called into question. How can such a struggling player maintain such an important role without consequences?
This situation sends a troubling message to the rest of the locker room, where young talents like Hutson or even Kaiden Guhle must prove their worth in every game.
Matheson, for his part, seems increasingly cornered.
“Everyone is very frustrated,” he admitted.
“We’re going to have a match in a few minutes, and then it’s not going to be fun, that’s for sure. But after that, it’s important to turn the page. »
These words, although lucid, sound like a desperate call for a breath of fresh air in a season that seems to be suffocating under the weight of unmet expectations.
Time is running out for Mike Matheson and the Canadian. If the defender cannot regain his composure quickly, it will become difficult to justify his presence in such a central role.
The fans, for their part, will not forgive what they perceive as favoritism towards a player who has completely lost his bearings.
For Martin St-Louis, the management of the Matheson case could become a real test of his credibility as a coach.
Continuing to favor a player who seems overwhelmed risks breaking not only the confidence of fans, but also that of other players.
As for Matheson, his future is more uncertain than ever. For a man who wears his love for Montreal like a badge of honor, this season is shaping up to be an emotional nightmare.
Time will tell if Matheson will find the strength to overcome this ordeal or if the unbearable pressure of the city will ultimately get the better of him.
In the meantime, every game is a cruel reminder of the enormous expectations that come with the privilege – and burden – of playing for the Montreal Canadiens.
For Matheson…it’s a burden in every sense of the word…