Matt Duchene, the playmaking center brought in at the trade deadline to bolster the Columbus Blue Jackets Stanley Cup hopes, is expected to sign a free agent contract with the Nashville Predators.
It sounds like Matt Duchene will join the #preds. Expect his contract to come in with an $8M AAV.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 1, 2019
The Jackets had hoped to be able to sign the center, but in the end, their pitch lost out to the Predators, long rumored to be favorite destination for Duchene.
Confirming Duchene to #Preds $8m for 7 … hearing #CBJ offered Duchene more than $8 mill/year. That one, however, was always going to be an uphill fight.
Duchene is apparently building a house in Nashville & talked openly about liking that city/area a lot.
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) July 1, 2019
Duchene has a 7-team No-trade clause the last three seasons of the contract https://t.co/qFc11xkRHM
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2019
In 23 games after his trade, Duchene resisted 4-8-12 for the Jackets while averaging 17:57 per night. In ten playoff games, Duchene posted 5-5-10, including a game winning overtime goal in game two against the Boston Bruins.
There’s that elite #CBJ power play we all know, striking again for a 3-0 lead pic.twitter.com/AfBnZpfiIs
— The Cannon (@cbjcannon) April 13, 2019
Best of luck to Matt Duchene in Nashville.