Report: Stars, Duchene agree on 1-year extension

The Dallas Stars and Matt Duchene are expected to agree on a one-year deal in the range of $3 million, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston.

Duchene was set to become a pending unrestricted free agent and would have been among the top centers available if he tested the market.

The 33-year-old produced 25 goals and 40 assists across 80 games for Dallas last season. He averaged only 16:46 of ice time, his lowest average since 2011-12 with the Colorado Avalanche. However, he posted favorable underlying numbers, with a five-on-five expected goals for percentage of 50.88 and a scoring chances for percentage of 51.53 in the same situations, per Natural Stat Trick.

Duchene inked a one-year, $3-million deal with the Stars last July 1 after the Nashville Predators bought out the final three seasons of the seven-year, $56-million contract they gave him in the summer of 2019.

The Ontario-born pivot fit in well as Dallas' second-line center in 2023-24. He and fellow veteran forward Joe Pavelski are by far the Stars' two most important pending UFAs. However, the latter said after Dallas' season ended that he's "probably" played his last game in the NHL.

Duchene has suited up for the Stars, Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Avalanche in his 15-year career. He played his first eight campaigns with Colorado, the team that drafted him third overall in 2009.

Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.