Matt Duchene is still a member of the Colorado Avalanche, but that may not be the case for much longer.
The 26-year-old forward has long been rumored to be on the move, and his name came up again on Wednesday afternoon during a discussion on Winnipeg’s TSN 1290 with NHL Insider Darren Dreger.
“It seems like we’ve been following this story now for more than months – like well over a year,” said Dreger. “It’s going to happen. The question is is it today, is it tomorrow, is it next week. But the belief is from both Matt Duchene and from the Colorado Avalanche that they are going to find something. Then again, the follow-up is who. Who’s most likely. Is it Nashville. Is Montreal as interested as some think. What about the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Initially, Joe Sakic was looking for a young, left-shot D. And I don’t know that he’s softened off of that position entirely, but obviously there wasn’t a team willing to give up that part of the ask, otherwise Matt Duchene would have moved on – probably around draft time – and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“When you look at the Avalanche blueline, they just need help. Left shot, right shot, it shouldn’t really matter. Sakic just needs to bring in a good body, and he’s going to get that in return for Duchene.
“Pat Brisson still seems fairly confident that something is going to happen in the very near future. So we’ll see.”
Duchene has two seasons remaining on his contract and carries a $6 million cap hit. He does not have any trade protection in that pact.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared his latest on the Duchene front during a radio hit earlier on Wednesday, indicating, “I get the sense there have been some renewed efforts to try to trade him. I think Columbus is very much in there.”
Dreger suggested on Friday of last week that the Duchene saga had “shifted into a front-burner situation and there’ll be a some heat on Sakic and the Avs to get this done in the next 14 days.”
By Chris Nichols
The 26-year-old forward has long been rumored to be on the move, and his name came up again on Wednesday afternoon during a discussion on Winnipeg’s TSN 1290 with NHL Insider Darren Dreger.
“It seems like we’ve been following this story now for more than months – like well over a year,” said Dreger. “It’s going to happen. The question is is it today, is it tomorrow, is it next week. But the belief is from both Matt Duchene and from the Colorado Avalanche that they are going to find something. Then again, the follow-up is who. Who’s most likely. Is it Nashville. Is Montreal as interested as some think. What about the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Initially, Joe Sakic was looking for a young, left-shot D. And I don’t know that he’s softened off of that position entirely, but obviously there wasn’t a team willing to give up that part of the ask, otherwise Matt Duchene would have moved on – probably around draft time – and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“When you look at the Avalanche blueline, they just need help. Left shot, right shot, it shouldn’t really matter. Sakic just needs to bring in a good body, and he’s going to get that in return for Duchene.
“Pat Brisson still seems fairly confident that something is going to happen in the very near future. So we’ll see.”
Duchene has two seasons remaining on his contract and carries a $6 million cap hit. He does not have any trade protection in that pact.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared his latest on the Duchene front during a radio hit earlier on Wednesday, indicating, “I get the sense there have been some renewed efforts to try to trade him. I think Columbus is very much in there.”
Dreger suggested on Friday of last week that the Duchene saga had “shifted into a front-burner situation and there’ll be a some heat on Sakic and the Avs to get this done in the next 14 days.”
By Chris Nichols