Habs D Matheson out for eight weeks with abdominal muscle strain
Published
Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson is expected to miss eight weeks with an abdominal muscle strain.
Matheson suffered the injury during the preseason and missed Montreal's season opener, a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He underwent an MRI on Wednesday and was placed on injured reserve Thursday morning.
The 28-year-old was acquired by the Canadiens from the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 16, along with a 2023 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling.
He had a career season in 2021-22, recording 11 goals and 31 points in 74 games last season with Pittsburgh.
A first-round pick (23rd overall) by the Florida Panthers at the 2012 NHL Draft, the Pointe-Claire, Que., product has 49 goals and 138 points in 417 career NHL games split between the Panthers and Penguins.
Defenceman Corey Schueneman was recalled from the AHL's Laval Rocket on Thursday.