In the middle of the 2017-18 season, the Ottawa Senators made a bold statement when they completed a three-team trade to acquire 2014 Gold Medal Olympian Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche.
At the time the trade occurred, some viewed it as a move that would help the Senators as they were coming off a Conference Finals appearance in 2017. Unfortunately, trading for Duchene backfired on the Senators.
In the following 2018-19 season, Duchene was traded by the Senators to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 118 games as a Senator, Duchene recorded 107 points. Since being traded in 2019, Duchene has played exceptionally well against the Senators. Last night, Duchene got another chance to stick it to his former team and capitalized.
Duchene recorded two points and scored big insurance goal against Senators
This season is Duchene's second season with the Dallas Stars. Last night, the Stars defeated the Senators 4-2 in Dallas, Texas. A big part of the Stars' win against the Senators was because of Duchene's play. Duchene recorded two points, including a big insurance goal with 6:23 left in the third period to put the Stars up 4-2.
Workin' 9-to-5-hole. 📍 pic.twitter.com/D48uq0Mi2P
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 3, 2025
Duchene has been a valuable piece to the Stars roster this season. With his two points against the Senators, Duchene is now at 35 points for this season, which is the most on the Stars roster. Duchene is second on the Stars in goals with 15 and second in assists with 20. At 33 years old, Duchene's season has been phenomenal and a big reason why the Stars currently have a 23-13-1 record.
Duchene's big season makes the Senators question how good he could've been if he remained a Senator. Since being traded by the Senators in 2019, Duchene has played in 389 games and has recorded 309 points. Last night, Duchene continued his success against the Senators and added to his career totals against his former team.
Duchene's stats against Senators in 11 games since being traded in 2019:
Nine points
Four multi-point games
Two of Duchene's multi-point games against Senators has come as a Star