New York Islanders Trade Target Matt Duchene Availability Update

It’s time to reignite Matt Duchene trade links to the New York Islanders as the 27-year-old center and pending UFA contract talks with the Ottawa Senators have stalled.

We’ve been writing trade pieces about Matt Duchene and the New York Islanders for years now. For years the Islanders have been looking for a second line center, and for years Matt Duchene has been the best option available for the Islanders.

And now, over a month away from the February 25th trade deadline, contract talks between Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators have “cooled” according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.

The New York Islanders should be right in on the pending UFA who sits with 42 points in 37 games this season.

Best Option Out There

It seems that contract talks between the Ottawa Senators and Matt Duchene have stalled as he edges closer to unrestricted free agency according to Chris Johnston:

"It’s quite interesting that the talks between the Ottawa Senators and Matt Duchene – their pending unrestricted free agent – have appeared to have cooled off. There doesn’t appear to have been anything of substance here in recent times and no talks immediately scheduled in the weeks ahead."

With no trade protection to speak of, Matt Duchene is perfectly positioned to be moved for the second time in two seasons. And the New York Islanders should inquire as to what it might take.

Again, Matt Duchene has 42 points in 37 games played this season. That puts him on pace for 93 points come seasons end. That would be a career high for the third overall pick in the 2009 Entry Draft.

The Islanders have both the need down the middle, the cap space to make a deal work, as well as the assets that the Ottawa Senators are clearly looking for to rebuild.

With contract negotiations stalled with the Senators now is the time for Lou Lamoriello to get into Pierre Dorion’s ear and see what it might take to get a deal done.

Again, Matt Duchene has 42 points in 37 games this season. He’s the second highest point scorer in his draft class (only John Tavares has more points than Duchene). And he wins 52.9 percent of his faceoffs.

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Brock Nelson has been a fine player down the middle the for the New York Islanders, but it’s clear that Matt Duchene is a superior player. If a deal can be made with the Sens, it should be done.