The Dallas Stars locked up Matt Duchene after a great first season in victory green.
The Dallas Stars re-signed a key piece to their depth scoring from last season, inking forward Matt Duchene to a one year, $3 million contract.
Just a mere year ago, the Nashville Predators bought Duchene out of the last three years of his $8 million contract. After this happened, both Stars General Manager Jim Nill and Duchene saw an immediate fit in Dallas, and Duchene took a huge discount of one-year, $3 million to sign with the Stars.
From the start, Duchene was very open about Dallas being on the top of list and that money did not matter when it came to considering his destination. His love for country music, a vibe similar to Nashville and a welcoming place for his family took priority over making the extra money. Once Duchene got to Dallas, it was as if a piece of the puzzle the Stars had been looking for suddenly appeared and fit perfectly.
The season prior, the Stars struggled to find a linemate that complimented both Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment's game. Very early on in the season, it was clear that Duchene was able to do that.
Duchene took the team and his line to new heights almost immediately, and with the top line of Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski falling off from previous elite expectations, Duchene's line took over as the de-facto top line. By the season's end, Duchene had tallied 25 goals and 65 points in 80 games played. The 2023-24 season was the 10th 20-goal season for the 33 year old.
While Duchene probably offered the best value contract in the NHL last season, what he offered off the ice was just as valuable. A reliable teammate who always speaks highly of his teammates, he also isn't afraid to be honest about shortcomings he or the team may be having.
And Stars fans have him to thank for one of the most memorable celebrations in recent years after scoring the OT game winner in Game 6 of their second round series against Colorado, sending the Stars to the Western Conference Final for the second year in a row.
This signing is just a predecessor to the craziness that could happen Monday when free agency begins, and Dallas still has a couple of moves to make after trading away the rights to Chris Tanev. That leaves a gaping hole on the right side of the defense, and they will be big shoes to fill after Tanev fit in so well, similarly to Duchene, in his time with the Stars. It also appears that back-up goaltender Scott Wedgewood will hit free agency, meaning Dallas could have to look elsewhere for Jake Oettinger's back-up.
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