Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
New contract for Matheson?
Reports surface of 8-year extension for defenseman
SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers defensive corps is full of offensive-minded defensemen. And it could be locking up another with a reported contract extension.
Sportsnet reported Saturday night that the Panthers were working on an eight-year contract extension with Mike Matheson with an average annual value of about $5 million. Matheson was one of the Panthers’ most-used players last season, averaging 21:03 of ice time as he played in 81 games. He had seven goals and had 10 assists in his first full season in the NHL
Matheson was a first-round pick in the 2013 draft and was scheduled to be a restricted free agent next season. The 23-year-old Boston College product would join Ek- blad as young Panthers defensemen to sign long extensions. Aaron Ekblad, 21, just started the first season of his eight-year, $60 million extension.
Keith Yandle led the team with 36 assists last season. Ekblad has scored double-digit goals in each of his three seasons. Matheson is built more in Yandle and Ekblad’s mold than a shutdown defenseman like Alex Petrovic.
But that doesn’t mean Petrovic can’t chip in on offense. During the seasonopening 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, two Panthers defensemen crashed the net, leading to two Florida goals.
In the second period, Petrovic slung a pass from just to the left of the Lightning net, setting up an easy goal by Connor Brickley. Later in the period, defenseman Mark Pysyk finished in front of the net with a backhand goal.
“We want to get them involved with the play,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “We want to have a lot of motion in the offensive zone and get our D involved. That was great. Not at the cost of giving up any offense the other way as well. We got to pick our spots at the right time and that’s one thing we’ve been talking about.”
Pysyk is not regarded as an offensive defenseman, with only 10 career NHL goals in parts of six seasons.
“When there’s an opportunity, you jump up and just kind of wait for your chances,” Pysyk said. “I’m just happy that it went in and didn’t miss the net.”
Yandle was signed last year by the Panthers to spearhead the offense from the blue line, especially on the power play. Last season was the first one since the shortened 2012-13 season that Yandle did not post at least 40 assists. He said scoring from defensemen was “huge.”
“I think every team is looking for that,” Yandle said. “We know we have a mobile group and a group that can help out offensively. Anytime we can do that, it’ll help out our team.”
... On Saturday afternoon, the Panthers announced the four recipients of a $1 million pledge by the organization to help out Hurricane Irma relief efforts. The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Feeding South Florida, The Salvation Army and UNICEF will each receive a $250,000 check at the Panthers’ home opener on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.