On the Colorado Avalanche and Matt Duchene …
Adrian Dater of BSN Denver: asked Matt Duchene’s agent, Pat Brisson, in an email if Duchene isn’t traded by the start of training camp, will he still report on time?
“I don’t have much to say at this point,” was Brisson’s reply.
The Avalanche are not commenting, and Duchene hasn’t said anything either. The situation could become a distraction, and it could get ugly.
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1290 and Matt Duchene’s name came up again. Dreger said a trade is going to happen, but when it’s going to happen is another question.
“But the belief is from both Matt Duchene and from the Colorado Avalanche that they are going to find something. Then again, the follow-up is who. Who’s most likely. Is it Nashville. Is Montreal as interested as some think. What about the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Initially, Joe Sakic was looking for a young, left-shot D. And I don’t know that he’s softened off of that position entirely, but obviously there wasn’t a team willing to give up that part of the ask, otherwise Matt Duchene would have moved on – probably around draft time – and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Dreger added that Duchene’s agent seems confident that something should happen in the near future.
Chirs Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 590 and said that there might have been times when a Matt Duchene trade was close, but the Avalanche pulled back. The Avalanche did tell Duchene’s agent after July 1st that Duchene remaining with the Avs to start the season was a possibility.
“I get the sense there have been some renewed efforts to try to trade him. I think Columbus is very much in there. I think they were a team that very aggressively tried to close the deal right around the beginning of July last year and didn’t do so.
“I know there are some teams who have felt that Colorado is being especially stubborn on what they wanted. I think the Avalanche look at it like, ‘Hey, we made a deal with Ryan O’Reilly that didn’t turn out as great as we hoped and we have to make sure we get this right.’”
There have been Justin Faulk rumors out there, but hasn’t spoken to the Hurricanes about it. doesn’t think the Avs were that interested in Faulk and were interested in someone younger – like Jaccob Slavin – who the Hurricanes aren’t moving. The Hurricanes likely don’t want to move Noah Hanifin either.
“Although people are wondering, ‘Does that mean Duchene won’t report if camp starts and he still hasn’t been traded yet.’ I think that’s too early to say. I don’t know if I believe that’s the case yet.”
