CRANBERRY, Pa. -- It's looking likely that the Penguins will have their full defensive corps healthy for the start of Game 1.
Mike Matheson missed the Penguins' last four games of the regular season after being struck in the face by a clearing attempt from Tristan Jarry in Washington.
The injuries to Matheson's face didn't require surgery, and he was able to resume skating with the taxi squad on May 6. He rejoined the team for the optional on-ice workout on Monday, and was a full participant in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, albeit with a full cage on his helmet.
Matheson spoke with the media on Wednesday for the first time since his injury.
"I feel good," he said. "It's weird putting that cage back on, I haven't worn it since college. It's a bit of an adjustment, but I've been feeling good."
Matheson took part in line rushes the past two practices, and played in the Penguins' scrimmage in Wednesday's practice. Both days, he was slotted alongside his regular defense partner Cody Ceci, a sign that he's nearing a return.
Matheson doesn't have a ton of postseason experience in his NHL career, having spent his entire career before this year with the Panthers. He played in five games in the 2016 playoffs when the Panthers were eliminated by the Islanders in six games. The Panthers didn't make the postseason again until last season, when they faced the Islanders in the qualifying round in the bubble. Matheson played in the Panthers' first two games and then was a healthy scratch for the latter two as the Panthers were eliminated in four games in the best-of-five qualifying round.
"It was a tough year and I put all of that on my shoulders," Matheson said of last season. "Obviously, I didn't deliver and I didn't play up to my potential. I only have myself to blame for that."
Matheson said his only focus over the offseason was making sure he was ready to play for this season, rather than dwelling on the way his time ended in Florida. He said that his confidence is at a "new level" compared to last season, and it's paid off on the ice.
Matheson's rates of goals (.4 per 60 minutes), assists (.56 per 60 minutes) and points (.96 per 60 minutes) are all the second-best marks of his career. He's hitting more than he ever has in his career, averaging 3.2 hits per 60 minutes. Per the data in Corey Sznajder's visualizations for the 2021 season, Matheson led Penguins defensemen in his rate of zone exits with possession, averaging 5.246 per 60 minutes.
One of the concerns with Matheson coming into this season is that in the past he's been a high-risk player, with a high rate of turnovers to go with his offensive production. That's changed this year, though. His rate of 1.6 giveaways per 60 minutes of ice time is the lowest of any of his full NHL seasons, down from 3.27 per 60 minutes last season and 5.03 per 60 minutes the year before that.
"I think I still have a lot to work on, just like any other player," Matheson said. "But I think my confidence level is in a lot better place. I'm less worried about making mistakes. That's the hardest thing to do. If you're thinking about making mistakes and worried about making mistakes, you're going to make a lot of them. That's what you're thinking about. I think being able to be in a better place mentally, where during games I'm reading and reacting and making plays and being a little more sure of myself is a great place to be in. I'm super excited to be able to get into the playoffs here."