EOS is proud to welcome one of the NHL’s most established two-way defencemen to the brand. For the 2026-27 NHL season, Mike Matheson will wear EOS baselayer and represent EOS as the brand’s newest ambassador.
A Montreal Canadiens defenceman, Quebec native, veteran NHL player, and alternate captain, Matheson has built his career around skating, versatility, preparation, and an unwavering commitment to the game. Now, as he enters his 12th season in the NHL, he is bringing those qualities to EOS.
For EOS, the partnership is about more than putting a professional hockey player in a baselayer. It is about partnering with an athlete whose approach to the game reflects what EOS stands for: preparation, performance, comfort, protection, and giving players the confidence to focus on every shift.
Whether you're already familiar with EOS or you're discovering the brand through Mike Matheson, here's everything you need to know about EOS' newest ambassador.
Who Is Mike Matheson?
Mike Matheson is a veteran NHL defenseman who has spent more than a decade competing at hockey's highest level.
Born February 27, 1994, in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Matheson grew up in the Montreal area and developed into one of the most accomplished hockey players to come out of Quebec. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 196 pounds, the left-shot defenseman combines size with one of the defining characteristics of his game: mobility.
Matheson was selected 23rd overall by the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft. After beginning his professional career in Florida, he went on to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins before joining his hometown Montreal Canadiens.
Today, he wears No. 8 for Montreal.
But statistics and draft position only tell part of the story.
Matheson's game has evolved considerably throughout his NHL career. Earlier in his career, he established himself as a mobile, offensively capable defenseman who could move the puck and contribute from the blue line. Over time, his responsibilities have expanded, allowing him to become a more complete player who can be trusted in a wide variety of situations.
That evolution has become an important part of his identity as an NHL defenseman.
A Quebec Hockey Story
For hockey fans in Quebec, Matheson's connection to Montreal makes his story particularly unique.
He grew up in Pointe-Claire, developed through the local hockey system, and eventually reached the NHL. After spending the early portion of his career playing elsewhere, he returned home when he was acquired by the Canadiens in 2022.
Playing for your hometown NHL team is a rare opportunity. Doing it after establishing yourself as a veteran NHL defenseman makes Matheson's journey even more notable.
His connection to the region extends beyond simply playing in Montreal. Matheson has become an important veteran presence within a Canadiens team featuring a young generation of players.
The Canadiens named him an alternate captain beginning with the 2023-24 season, adding another responsibility to his role on and off the ice.
For young players watching the Canadiens, Matheson represents something familiar: a player who grew up around the same hockey culture, worked his way through the system, and ultimately made it to the NHL.
From Florida to Pittsburgh to Montreal
Matheson's NHL journey began with the Florida Panthers.
Selected 23rd overall in 2012, he made his NHL debut during the 2015-16 season. He spent his first several NHL seasons in Florida before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2020.
His time in Pittsburgh added another important chapter to his development.
Playing alongside established NHL stars gave Matheson the opportunity to continue developing his game while gaining experience in a demanding hockey environment. It was also during his time with the Penguins that he developed a relationship with Sidney Crosby, something Matheson has spoken about as influential to his perspective on professional hockey.
In 2022, Matheson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
The move brought him back to Quebec and gave him the opportunity to play for the team he grew up around.
Since arriving in Montreal, Matheson has continued to establish himself as one of the Canadiens' most important defensemen.
A Defenseman Who Can Do It All
One of the easiest ways to describe Matheson's game is versatility.
He is a defenseman who can skate with the puck, make plays through the neutral zone, contribute offensively, defend against dangerous opposing players, and take on difficult minutes.
His skating has always been one of his most noticeable strengths. Matheson's mobility allows him to cover ground quickly and transition from defense to offense without sacrificing speed.
That ability is particularly valuable in today's NHL, where defensemen are increasingly expected to participate in every part of the game.
Matheson isn't simply a player who stays in his own zone and moves the puck up the ice. He can carry the puck himself, join the rush, create offensive opportunities, and use his skating to recover defensively when a play breaks down.
His career statistics reflect that offensive ability.
In the 2023-24 season, Matheson recorded 62 points in 82 games, including 11 goals and 51 assists. It was the highest-scoring season of his NHL career and established a new personal benchmark for offensive production.
But his game has continued to develop beyond offensive production.
Evolving Into a Complete Two-Way Defenseman
As Matheson's career has progressed, his role has changed.
His responsibilities have increasingly included difficult defensive assignments and penalty-killing minutes. Rather than defining himself solely through offensive production, Matheson has embraced the challenge of becoming a more complete defenseman.
That was especially evident during the 2025-26 season.
Matheson appeared in 78 regular-season games, recording seven goals and 30 assists for 37 points. He also played a major defensive role for Montreal, including significant time on the penalty kill.
The Canadiens recognized that contribution when Matheson was selected as the team's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2026.
The nomination highlighted his perseverance, dedication to hockey, leadership, and evolving role as a defenseman. During the season, he averaged 24:13 of ice time per game for Montreal and was playing some of the most demanding defensive minutes of his career.
For Matheson, that evolution is part of becoming the best defenseman he can be.
His career has moved from emphasizing what he could do offensively to understanding how he can contribute in every situation.
Why Mike Matheson and EOS?
Matheson's partnership with EOS is a natural fit because his approach to hockey mirrors the principles behind the brand.
He is a player who understands that the small details matter.
Preparation matters.
Comfort matters.
Protection matters.
And consistency matters.
At the NHL level, players don't have the luxury of treating equipment as an afterthought. Everything they wear has a purpose, and every part of their preparation contributes to their ability to perform.
That's where EOS comes in.
For the 2026-27 season, Matheson will wear EOS baselayer as part of his NHL equipment setup while representing EOS as the brand's main ambassador.
His role with EOS will help bring the brand's products and philosophy to hockey players at every level, from young players stepping onto the ice for the first time to competitive athletes who spend countless hours training for their next game.
EOS Baselayer: Built for the Demands of Hockey
Hockey is a uniquely demanding sport for baselayers.
Players are constantly accelerating, stopping, turning, battling for position, shooting, blocking shots, and moving in every direction. At the same time, hockey equipment creates heat and adds weight and bulk to the body.
A baselayer needs to work underneath all of that.
EOS baselayers are designed with the demands of hockey in mind, combining comfort and performance in a layer that players can wear underneath their equipment.
The goal is simple: help players feel comfortable and confident so they can focus on the game rather than what they're wearing.
That's important whether you're playing 20-plus minutes in an NHL game or stepping onto the ice for a weekly beer league.
What Mike Matheson Brings to EOS
As EOS' newest ambassador, Matheson brings more than NHL recognition to the brand.
He brings experience.
He brings perspective.
And he brings a connection to hockey players who understand the importance of preparation and reliable equipment.
Matheson has now played hundreds of NHL games across multiple teams, experienced different roles throughout his career, and adapted his game as the demands of professional hockey have changed.
That experience gives him a unique perspective on what hockey players need from their equipment.
For EOS, having Matheson represent the brand means having an NHL defenseman who understands the importance of the equipment he wears every day.
A New Chapter for EOS
The partnership with Mike Matheson represents an exciting new chapter for EOS.
The brand has built its reputation around hockey products designed to help players stay comfortable, protected, and ready for whatever the game demands. Adding another established NHL defenceman brings that philosophy directly onto the biggest stage in hockey.
For fans of Mike Matheson, it provides an opportunity to get to know EOS and the products he will be wearing throughout the season.
For existing EOS fans, it provides the chance to follow one of the NHL's most versatile defencemen as he represents the brand throughout the 2026-27 season.
And for hockey players everywhere, the message is straightforward:
The game moves fast.
Preparation matters.
Every shift matters.
Every detail matters.
And every play deserves to be protected.
Protect Every Play
Mike Matheson's journey from Pointe-Claire to the NHL, from Florida to Pittsburgh to Montreal, and from an offensively minded defenseman to a trusted two-way player has been built on years of work, adaptation, and preparation.
Now, that journey continues with EOS.
Throughout the 2026-27 NHL season, keep an eye out for No. 8 in an EOS baselayer as Mike Matheson takes the ice for the Montreal Canadiens and officially begins his role as EOS' newest ambassador.
For Matheson, it's another season at the highest level of hockey.
For EOS, it's the beginning of a partnership with a player who represents the preparation, versatility, and dedication that define the modern game.
Mike Matheson. EOS. Protect Every Play.
