It seems almost certain that Matt Duchene will don a new jersey this season. But now, one team seams really interested in signing him.
The disgruntled forward has been a prize piece of trade talks for some time, but no NHL team has struck a deal with the Colorado Avalanche.
Matt Duchene’s name has been thrown around for at least a season but GM Joe Sakic has not shipped the forward off. It is still relatively early in the season, which means there is lots of time for trade talks and deals to be made. The trade deadline won’t come until the next calendar year, so GM’s are playing it safe – for now.
We’ve heard of multiple teams that may be in the Duchene sweepstakes, like the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. However, Sportsnet Analyst and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes there is a new team to add to the mix.
Might be heading to the East Coast
He made an appearance on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 radio station to talk about a variety of topics, according to Hockeyfeed. The Duchene rumors came up, and Friedman believes the New York Rangers have also gained interest on the Avs’ leading scorer.
“I don’t know. I think the Rangers have kind of waded back into that,” he said. “I think you might see some teams out there who are saying, ‘Well, maybe we’re more interested in the deal right now.’ I think the Rangers waded back into that. I don’t know if there’s a fit. I still think Duchene is getting traded. I just think it’s going to be a matter of when.”
You must wonder when GM Joe Sakic will strike a deal. It may be in his best interest to wait until the deadline, as teams gunning for the playoffs will be desperate for a high-scoring forward. However, if for any reason Duchene’s offensive production halts, it may be harder for Sakic to dump Duchene later in the season.
