- Rumours suggest contract negotiations have stalled between Duchene and the Senators, and with just a few weeks to go before the trade deadline, a trade looks increasingly likely.
- Duchene has expressed interest in remaining a Senator beyond this year, but his contractual demands appear to be steep for the last place Senators. Having already gone through some lean years in Colorado, Duchene may not be able to stomach another rebuild without a serious overpayment. Rumblings suggest the Sens are ready and willing to pay more than market value for Duchene, who is one of the few elite forwards the team has up front. After paying big to bring in Duchene from the Avalanche last season, GM Pierre Dorion has plenty of incentive to get this right. That said, we saw with Erik Karlsson that the Senators were unwilling or unable to put huge money into one player in a salary system that doesn't come close to the cap ceiling.
- The first team to be linked to Duchene this season are the Buffalo Sabres, who find themselves in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Islanders, Penguins, Predators, Ducks and Blues have been linked to Duchene in the past.
- Many more teams are likely to surface as possibilities in the coming days and weeks. The Senators have a number of others players on the block, including Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel, who should be center stage in the days leading up to the trade deadline. Check out more on the trade rumour board.
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