Fresh off of his buyout from the Nashville Predators, Matt Duchene has found his new home, signing a one-year, $3 million contract with the Dallas Stars.
Duchene will provide the Stars with a notable boost in their top six as they aim to have a strong season during 2023-24.
Duchene’s 2022-23 Season
Although the Predators opted to buy out Duchene, that does not mean he had a bad 2022-23 season. In fact, he put together another solid year for the Predators. Appearing in 71 games, the 2009 third-overall pick posted 22 goals and 56 points. Although it was a step down from his 43-goal and 86-point campaign in 2021-22, he still produced well enough for a struggling Predators team.
It is important to note that Duchene led the Predators in goals and all of their forwards in points. Therefore, it is fair to say that he did his job this past season. Instead, this buyout is more of an indicator that the Predators simply wanted to rid of Duchene’s hefty $8 million cap hit.
Duchene’s Fit With the Stars
When looking at the Stars’ lineup, it is fair to say that Duchene will be in the running for top-six minutes. It is entirely understandable, as he is still able to produce well offensively. As for the position he will play, that is up for some debate. As the 32-year-old’s career has gone on, he has shown that he offers great versatility, being able to play all three forward positions if needed. Yet, when looking at Dallas’ roster, his best fit may be in his natural spot down the middle.
Duchene will also give the Stars a major boost on their power play. The veteran has shown throughout his career that he is very effective in this role, and it ultimately makes sense given his strong offensive IQ, excellent passing ability, and scoring touch. Having him on a power-play unit with fellow high-impact forwards like Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz certainly has the potential to be very beneficial for Dallas.
Duchene’s Overall Experience
Another great element that Duchene will provide the Stars with is his overall experience. Over the course of his 14-year NHL career, the Ontario native has appeared in 976 career NHL games, posting 316 goals, 428 assists, and 744 points. He also has some nice individual success in the NHL, as he is a two-time All-Star and made the NHL’s All-Rookie team back in 2010.
Click to read all of The Hockey Writers’ 2023 NHL Free Agency coverage
With Duchene inching closer to the 1,000-game milestone, it is clear that he offers a lot of experience. The Stars should benefit from adding him to their roster because of this. He will serve as another excellent mentor for the Stars’ younger players and will also simply provide them with another skilled forward.
Overall, this looks like a solid signing for both clubs, but we will need to wait and see how well Duchene adjusts to his new club from here.
More must-reads: