Michael Matheson has been handed a $5,000 fine by the NHL following his roughing incident involving Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig during Montreal’s 4-2 preseason victory.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety confirmed that the $5,000 penalty represents the maximum fine permitted under the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
The incident occurred during an intense matchup between the Canadiens and Senators, with emotions running high throughout the contest.
Matheson Gets Hit With Maximum Fine
The possibility of a fine was raised almost immediately after the game, but the eventual punishment reached the highest amount the league could impose without issuing a suspension.
Despite the incident, Matheson had a productive night for Montreal.
The defenseman recorded two assists, finished with a plus-3 rating and logged 26:02 of ice time. He also received a minor penalty during the game.
Greig, meanwhile, was also penalized during the contest. The Ottawa forward finished with five shots while playing 23:25.
Physical Game Ends With Several Incidents
The Matheson-Greig confrontation was only one of several heated moments.
Adam Nemec was forced to leave the game with an upper-body injury following a hit from Florian Xhekaj, while Tyler Thorpe and Djibril Touré also dropped the gloves.
Montreal ultimately came away with the victory, helped by a power-play goal from Noah Dobson and the eventual game-winning goal from Juraj Slafkovsky.
Samuel Montembeault also contributed in net, stopping all 14 shots he faced.
Ottawa did manage to claim the other half of Saturday’s doubleheader, defeating Montreal 4-3 on home ice.
Canadiens Turn Attention to Opening Night
Montreal wrapped up its preseason with a 4-1-0 record and still has three roster decisions to make before Monday’s deadline.
The Canadiens will now shift their attention toward Toronto, where they will face the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night to begin the regular season.
Ottawa also opens its regular-season schedule in Toronto on Oct. 3 after finishing preseason with a 1-3-1 record.
Matheson’s fine closes the disciplinary portion of the incident for now. The NHL has delivered its maximum financial penalty, while Montreal keeps its defenseman available for opening night.
The next chapter will come when the Canadiens and Maple Leafs meet for real.
