Colorado finally trades Duchene in 3-way deal
Ottawa Senators land long-shopped centre, ship Turris to Nashville; Avs load up on futures
The Senators acquired Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday in a three-team blockbuster that involved Ottawa also dealing Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators.
Colorado came away with a haul of prospects and draft picks, getting Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev and a 2018 second-round draft pick from Nashville, along with Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 third-round selection from Ottawa.
“It’s bittersweet for sure, but I’m excited for a new opportunity in Ottawa,” Duchene said as he left Barclays Center in Brooklyn where the Avalanche lost 6-4 to the Islanders. “(The Senators) have a team that can win a Stanley Cup. I’m really excited to go there and just nothing but a pleasure to have played here for Colorado.”
Duchene had been rumoured in trade talks for several months and had reportedly been dealt to Ottawa on Friday night before that transaction fell through.
Duchene is signed through 2018-19 at a salary-cap hit of $6 million.
“It’s been a while, but we wanted to make sure we had the right deal,” said Colorado general manager Joe Sakic. “I think it worked for all three teams. Ottawa wanted Matt really bad, and Kyle Turris was the perfect fit for what Nashville’s trying to do, and we’re trying to build this up and get younger and have our kids grow together.”
Duchene, a centre who has four goals and six assists in 13 games this season, will play his first game with the Senators on Friday against the Avalanche in Stockholm.
Turris, also a centre who was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, signed a six-year, US$36-million contract extension with Nashville.
The 28-year-old has three goals and six assists through 11 games for the Senators after producing 10 points in 19 playoff games as Ottawa reached the East final this spring.