Predators buy out last 3 years of Duchene's contract

The Nashville Predators are buying out the final three seasons of Matt Duchene's deal, the team announced Friday.

"This is the continuation of an organizational process that started at the trade deadline - our desire to change the roster, allowing our emerging players the chance to grow and develop while also creating the flexibility to build a team that will become a Stanley Cup contender," incoming general manager Barry Trotz said in a statement.

The buyout will go as follows, according to CapFriendly:

In a weak unrestricted free-agent class, a skilled offensive forward in Duchene will become one of the more intriguing players available when the market opens Saturday.

He inked a seven-year, $56-million contract with the Predators as a free agent in 2019, but his tenure in the Music City has mostly been viewed as a disappointment relative to his cap hit.

Duchene struggled mightily in his first couple seasons with the club before he exploded for career highs in goals (43) and points (86) in 2021-22. The 32-year-old came back down to earth this past season, producing 22 goals and 34 assists in 71 games.

He spent most of his 14-year NHL career as a center, but he's predominantly played on the wing over the last couple of seasons to reduce his defensive responsibilities. Faceoffs are not an issue, as he owns a career 53.3% success rate in the dot.

His underlying numbers over the last three campaigns have remained strong offensively.

Duchene is the second marquee player Nashville has jettisoned recently after the club traded Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The team also shipped off longtime defenseman Mattias Ekholm to the Edmonton Oilers at the 2023 trade deadline.

Trotz now has nearly $25 million in cap space to work with in his first offseason at the helm.

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