Report: Dallas Stars to re-sign Matt Duchene on one-year deal in $3 million range

Duchene, 33, is coming off a rock-solid season with Dallas in which he showed he can still be an effective top-six forward despite being bought out by the Nashville Predators last summer. He racked up 25 goals and 65 points in 80 games while winning 56.5 percent of his faceoffs. His 16:46 of average ice time ranked among the lowest marks of his 15-season career, but he was one of the most efficient scorers in the NHL. Among 375 forwards with at least 500 minutes played at 5-on-5 this season, Duchene sat in the 83 ^rd percentile in points per 60, right between Tim Stutzle and Sebastian Aho. Duchene graded out in the 90^th percentile in assists per 60. So a $3 million AAV or anything close to it qualifies as a significant discount and a huge win for Dallas GM Jim Nill. Evidently, after the Stars came within two wins of reaching the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in six games, Duchene wanted to run it back for one more swing at a championship. Perhaps he wants to make good after his play fell off significantly during the 2024 postseason; he managed just two goals and six points across 19 games.

Duchene was selected third overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, right after John Tavares and Victor Hedman. Duchene has amassed 341 goals and 809 points 1,056 games. He has only made the playoffs in seven of his 15 seasons, and 2023 marked the first time he’d ever made it past the second round.