The Colorado Avalanche announced a two year, $7M extension of star RFA forward Matt Duchene through the 2013-2014 season.
This is good news for the Colorado Avalanche as Duchene is growing as a player and living up to his potential. Duchene had a solid rookie year in 2009 after being the third overall pick. His 24 goals and 55 total points earned him a solid nomination for the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie, which he finished third. Duchene had a phenomenal sophomore season leading the Avalanche in scoring with 27 goals and 67 points.
This past season was an off-year for Duchene as he battled knee and ankle injuries throughout the campaign. He eventually required surgery on his ankle but should be good to go for the preseason. He only registered 28 total points in 58 games.
Avalanche GM, Greg Sherman, spoke on the extension. He said, “Matt is an important part of our team. We are excited to come to terms with him and we look forward to seeing him at camp.”
The Avalanche missed the playoffs this season but with Duchene back and healthy, they are a legit contender in a very deep Western Conference. Duchene centers a strong, young core that boosts Gabriel Landeskog, Peter Mueller, Paul Stastsy, and Erik Johnson.
Expect a healthy Duchene to rise back up to the 70 point range this upcoming season.
More to Come..
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