Canadiens defenceman Matheson named assistant captain, joining Gallagher

Defenceman Mike Matheson has been named an assistant captain of the Montreal Canadiens, the team announced Monday.

The club said the decision was made by the Canadiens' management team.

Veteran Brendan Gallagher will continue to serve as an assistant, while forward Nick Suzuki retains his role as captain.

The 29-year-old Matheson led the team's defencemen with 34 points (8-26) in 48 games last season. The six-foot-two, 195-pound blue-liner also set career highs for assists (26), points (34), power-play points (9), and average time on ice per game (24:27).

In eight seasons in the NHL, the Pointe-Claire, Que. native has accumulated 172 points (57-115) in 465 regular-season games with the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Canadiens.

Matheson, who was selected in the first round (23rd overall) by the Panthers in the 2012 NHL draft, was acquired from the Penguins along with a draft pick in exchange for defenceman Jeff Petry and forward Ryan Poehling on July 16, 2022.

Caufield says shoulder '100 per cent'

In other Canadiens news, standout forward Cole Caufield told reporters he will start training camp on time this fall after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum.

Speaking at the Canadiens' charity golf tournament, Caufield offered a positive update on his shoulder, which was surgically repaired Feb. 1 amid a lost season for Montreal.

"It feels better than it did before, I can tell you that," Caufield said of his shoulder, "so I'm really excited, ready to go, and it feels 100 per cent."

Montreal gave its budding star an eight-year contract extension worth $62.8 million US in June. The 2019 first-round pick (15th overall) had a career-high 26 goals to go with 10 assists through 46 games last season before being sidelined due to his shoulder.

"It's been a long time off, not playing with the guys, not being around, but it creates more excitement," Caufield said. "I'm looking forward to the start of the season."

Montreal finished last in the Atlantic Division at 31-45-6 (68 points) amid injuries to Caufield and other key players.

According to NHL.com, Caufield has joined a group of more than 40 Canadiens players who have been working out at the team's practice facility in the weeks before the official start of training camp.

Sexton spent 3 seasons with AHL affiliate

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith has a new assistant on his staff.

Ben Sexton has been promoted from American Hockey League affiliate Belleville Senators to join Smith's staff.

Sexton spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with Belleville after being hired prior to the 2020-21 season.

The 32-year-old Ottawa native was a seventh-round pick (206th overall) in the 2009 draft by the Boston Bruins.

Sexton spent much of his professional career in the AHL, but had a short stint with the Senators in 2017-18 before retiring in 2020.

Ottawa also announced Sean Tierney as director of hockey analytics, effective Sept. 15.