Former Predators Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene Having Different Experiences Early
Barry Trotz traded Ryan Johansen and bought out Matt Duchene in the offseason. We take a look at how two former Predators' core players are doing with their respective new teams.
Former Predators Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene Having Different Experiences EarlyNew general manager Barry Trotz made two shocking moves early in his tenure this offseason when he moved not one but two of Nashville's "immoveable $8 million contracts". Trotz traded Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche and bought out the remainder of Matt Duchene's contract. Duchene went on to sign a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars. While both the Avalanche and Stars are off to good starts, Johansen and Duchene are having different early experiences with their respective teams.
Ryan Johansen is off to a hot start playing second line minutes and sharing ice time with quality line mates including Mikko Rantanen, Arturo Lehkonen, Tomas Tatar, and Valeri Nichushkin in different games. He averages 16:38 of ice time and has scored four goals and five points in seven games. Johansen is contributing to an already excellent power play scoring three of his goals on the man advantage for the Avalanche.
The Dallas Stars are 4-1-1 after playing their first six games, but it took Matt Duchene four games to get on the scoresheet with his new team. He is most recently playing with Tyler Seguin and Evgenii Dadanov and averaging almost 18 minutes of ice time so far with the Stars and is contributing to special teams on the second power play unit. Duchene has just two assists so far on the season, both points coming in his last two games.
On today's Locked On Predators podcast, we discussed which is more surprising - Ryan Johansen's quick start or Matt Duchene's slow start.