According to the latest NHL trade rumors, Matt Duchene is one of the biggest pieces on the trade deadline market. Which team will pull the trigger and trade for him?
Matt Duchene of the Ottawa Senators has had a terrific year offensively with 48 points (21G 27A) in 43 games. He is the kind of player that can push a team to the top. Duchene would help solidify any contender’s scoring line. Moreover, his experience both at center and at wing is what teams are looking for this time of the year. Duchene has been the center of a lot of NHL trade rumors recently.
Though Duchene still might re-sign with the Senators, every day he doesn’t sign, the more likely a trade becomes. Here are three teams that should trade for the star center.
3. Nashville Predators
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The Nashville Predators have a phenomenal goaltender, defense, and wingers. But the one thing they lack is center depth. This cost them in the playoffs last season and you can bet general manager David Poile will not let that happen again this season. Acquiring Duchene will bolster their center depth and improve their league-worst power play.
A one-two punch of Ryan Johansson and Duchene sounds more formidable than Johnsson and Kyle Turris or Nick Bonino. Every contender now has a minimum of two solid centers and acquiring him will make this team tougher to match up against during the playoffs.
The Predators have the third-most power play opportunities in the league and yet they have the worst power play with a 12.7 percent success rate. Teams take advantage of them because they know that the Predators will be unable to respond. Having Duchene will improve their success and keep players honest.
2. Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets want to add a center. Of all the players on the trade market, Duchene is the best option. The Jets are a great team but lack dominant center depth, a problem that can easily be resolved if Duchene comes over.
Duchene put up strong numbers this season with Bobby Ryan and Ryan Dzingel but imagine his production with wingers like Patrik Laine or Blake Wheeler. He will give the Jets more matchup options in the playoffs and give Paul Maurice more options for line combinations.
Since his contract is up this summer, he won’t get in the way of their contract extensions for Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, just to name a few. Adding Duchene to this roster will have nothing but positive results and could be the piece the Jets need to push them over the top.
1. Nobody
Talks between Senators management and Duchene have been heating up and it seems like they are nearing an extension. On Monday, Duchene’s agent had lunch to discuss with Pierre Dorion and Peter MacTavish and after practice, MacTavish pulled Duchene aside to talk.
All signs point to the Senators wanting to resign Duchene and it just might happen. The team itself has a lot of promising young pieces, most notably Thomas Chabot, their young defenceman. If Ottawa manages to resign Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel, this team will be set.
The team has played well this season but have not had reliable goaltending, going through 5 different goaltenders in 52 games. If they can sort out their net situation and resign their core players, this team’s future could be bright.
For updated NHL trade rumors, be sure to check out our Rumors page.