TIME-SENSITIVE
Pending UFAs Duchene, Stone know clock ticking on contract talks — and trades possible
PITTSBURGH — Decision day is coming for Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators.
They know it, they understand it and they’re preparing for it.
As the Senators returned from their eight-day break Thursday with a skate at the PPG Paints Arena, it didn’t take long for the questions from the media to turn to the future of the club’s top two players with the NHL trade deadline set for Feb. 25 at 3 p.m.
While negotiations between general manager Pierre Dorion and the agents for both players will heat up in the next 10 days, Stone and Duchene would both understand if the Senators decide to give them a deadline to make a decision on whether they’re going to sign or not.
And both players are aware there’s a good chance they’ll be dealt if they aren’t signed to extensions in the near future.
“The biggest thing is if I don’t have an answer for them I would expect that they’ll make a move,” Duchene said Thursday. “You can’t really afford to let guys go for nothing anymore in this league, or probably ever; you couldn’t do that. I understand that’s the situation.
“At the end of the day, I need to be sure of what I’m doing and it’s a process right now that I’m evaluating. It’s not an easy one because it’s the first time I’ve ever been in this situation. It’s really hard to make in mid-season. I’m taking my time, as much time as I have here, and I’ll see what happens. But we’re not at that point yet.”
Stone, who has been tightlipped about his discussions with his agents from Newport Sports, said he knows the organization is going to need an answer sooner or later.
“Yeah, for sure, but at the same time it’s going to be done privately,” said Stone. “I’m not going to do it through (the media)."
Duchene said he knows the clock is ticking.
“For sure, yeah. When I say I’m taking my time, I know I don’t have the luxury of six months here. But every day that goes by here is part of the evaluation process of the decision coming up.
“Like I said, I’ve really enjoyed playing here and it would be great if it works out.”
Since moving either player would be big, the belief is the Senators will want an answer from both players around Feb. 10 to Feb. 15. There would be a lot of interest in both Stone and Duchene, and that would give Dorion time to weigh offers.
The indications are the Senators are optimistic about getting Stone signed, but nobody is certain where Duchene stands. He spent time over the break discussing the situation with his wife, Ashley, and when a decision is made it will be the right one for his career.
Acquired in November 2017, Duchene was excited because he felt he was coming to a team only a step or two away from being a Stanley Cup contender. Only three months later, the club decided to go the rebuild route and he isn’t sure how long that’s going to take.
“We’ve been talking, my agent (Pat Brisson) and I have been talking, and, like I said, at the end of the day it’s going to be a hockey decision,” Duchene said. “I see certain things on TV or in the media and I laugh because I have no idea where they’re coming from.
“It’s pretty simple right now. We’re talking about it, we’re looking at it from a hockey perspective and we’ll go from there.”
Duchene is trying to weigh how long it will take to win here because he went through a rebuild in Colorado.
“I’m still trying to educate myself with what’s here now and what’s coming,” Duchene said. “It’s hard because when you go from a team when I got here that was kind of favourite to challenge for a Cup, and probably looked at as a top six or seven team in the league, to where we’re at right now.
“I’ve been in this situation before with teams where we’re kind of starting from the bottom and the biggest thing is you need a crystal ball to see how it’s going to pan out. That’s what I’m trying to do as much as I can but, at the end of the day, it might be something that’s too hard to predict.
“I see these young guys and this team is going to be outstanding at some point, but the question is, when?”
He doesn’t want to this to be a distraction and is focused on helping the Senators get wins in the final 32 games.
“I’m just trying to keep my mind on the present,” said Duchene. “If there’s a decision to be made tomorrow, I’ll have to make it. That’s the bottom line. Right now, I’m trying to take in as much information as I can and focus on the task at hand at the same time.”
It’s going to be done privately. I’m not going to do it through (the media). Sens’ Mark Stone on contract negotiations