Matt Duchene is close to signing a new deal with the Dallas Stars.
The news comes right after the Stars decided to trade Chris Tanev’s signing rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last year, Nashville bought out the last three years of Duchene’s $24M contract just before free agency began. The Stars quickly grabbed him with a one-year, $3M contract, which turned out to be a great move for them.
Duchene had scored 22 goals and 56 points in 71 games for Nashville before joining Dallas. In his first 55 games with the Stars, he matched that pace with 22 goals and 55 points while playing less than 17 minutes per game. He was not only good offensively but also strong defensively, boasting a 92.1% on-ice save percentage and a CorsiFor% of 54.0%. However, his performance dipped towards the end of the season as he only managed three goals and ten points in his last 25 games .
Playoff Performance:
In Round One of the playoffs, Duchene scored two points in seven games as Dallas eliminated Vegas Golden Knights. He seemed to find his rhythm again in Round Two against Colorado Avalanche, scoring one goal and four points in six games. But then he went cold in the Western Conference Finals against Edmonton Oilers, failing to score any points and taking just nine shots over six games.
Fans might think this is good news because they love seeing their favorite players stay with their teams.
Despite some ups and downs at season’s end and during playoffs, Duchene fit well within the team both on and off the ice. With Joe Pavelski likely retiring soon, Duchene could have more chances to shine in Dallas for years ahead.
What do you think about this potential new deal?
