Welcome to the Nashville Predators 2022-23 report card series. In this series, we at The Hockey Writers look back at each Predators player from the past season, break down how their campaign went, and assign a letter grade reflective of their overall performance. This edition will focus on forward Matt Duchene.
Duchene’s Season With the Predators
Duchene’s season with the Predators was decent. During the 2021-22 season, he scored a career-high 43 goals and added 43 assists for 86 points in 78 games – a career-high in goals and points for the forward, who entered last season at 30 years old. Any expectation for him to recreate that level of offensive success should have been nonexistent. During the 2022-23 season, he scored 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points in 71 games, a massive drop off from the previous year and a considerable decrease from what many expected. Despite the drop, he still led the Predators in goals and had the most points of any forward.
Only a few expected Duchene to put together another 40-plus goal, point-per-game season. Injuries to many significant players did impact the talent he played with this season; however, not scoring at even a 70-point pace is a slight disappointment. He suffered a season-ending injury on March 26 while playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and missed time due to a gruesome finger injury after being hit in the hand with the puck. He didn’t play in the Predators’ remaining ten games, unable to assist them in their playoff push. His lower-than-expected point totals and brutal injury to end the season is the last memories fans will have of him in a Predators uniform, as they shockingly bought him out before the start of free agency.
Predators Buy Out Duchene
General manager (GM) Barry Trotz announced the Predators’ buyout of Duchene’s contract on July 30, just two days from the beginning of free agency. The buyout came as a shock, as the forward continuously expressed his enjoyment of playing in Nashville. Despite the interest to remain on the team from the player’s side, the extra cap space provided by his buyout proved too tempting for Trotz to pass up. Duchene joined the 2023 free agent class, eventually signing with a Central Division foe, the Dallas Stars.
Duchene played 249 games for the Predators over four seasons, scoring 84 goals and 113 assists for 197 points. Buying him out leaves more opportunities for the Predators to play young players as their retool hits its stride. Despite multiple signings of veteran forwards on the opening day of free agency, expect a youth movement on the team this season. Duchene now takes his talents to the Stars, providing excellent center depth to their squad. He will likely slot in on their second or third line, joining a forward core that will help him put up a lot of points.
Final Grade For Matt Duchene: B
Duchene receives a good, but not great, grade for his 2022-23 season. Statistically speaking, this past season was his second-best in a Predators uniform, but team success did not follow. His 30-point drop is disappointing, but with the overwhelming number of injuries to key players on the team, a lower point total was expected. His injury was an unfortunate way to end the season, but he should bounce back with the Stars in 2023-24. Despite his excellent play at times, his 56 points and overall performance were worse than his 2021-22 campaign, so a B is a fair grade to hand out.
Click to read all of The Hockey Writers’ 2023 NHL Free Agency coverage
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