Confirmed with Link: Nashville Predators buying out Matt Duchene

[Porter Stoutheart]

It's funny, I can remember several of the last few seasons when making a pre-season prediction, it would always be mentioned that where we end up would have a lot to do with how the veterans played, which versions of Johansen, Granlund, Duchene showed up, whether Forsberg was healthy, etc. There was always the "IFs"... if they play like top-6 players, if they produce... etc... then we're fine.

Those conditionals are wiped away now. So instead it's like "if" young guys like Tomasino and Evangelista and Novak and Glass and Parssinen can fill the void and generate enough offense as their replacements.

And I kind of like their odds of doing so. Assuming Brunette's gameplan is to just roll them out as our top group from Day 1, and not put them on the yo-yo string and have them walking on eggshells in fear of being replaced on the top lines by a Smith/Jankowski/Sanford type every time they make a mistake.

And really, if you consider the way the young players finished the season with that skeleton roster, throw Josi and Forsberg back into the mix, then add O'Reilly/Nyquist/Schenn on top. The skeleton team was a .500 team. Surely Josi+Forsberg+new guys is something even better? I know no media outlets or publications or whatever will take any of that into consideration. But I'm pretty optimistic.

 

[Armourboy]

I tend to think it will be much like last season, we will be there it's just going to come down to how the kids play, injuries, and what Brunette does as a coach.

 

[triggrman]

It is funny that each team he’s played at least a full season for has replaced the coach during his time or right after

Coaches fired during or directly after Duchene left.

Colorado
Joe Sacco
Patrick Roy

Ottawa
Guy Boucher
Marc Crawford (interim head coach was not retained)

Columbus - Tortorella is the only coach to survive coaching Duchene to date. Ironically it's also the only time he's played in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Nashville
Peter Laviolette
John Hines

He has played in 976 regular season games and only 32 playoff games, 14 of those with those with Nashville. Contrast that with Ekholm who was drafted the same year but has only played in 740 games but 87 playoff games.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

It's funny, I can remember several of the last few seasons when making a pre-season prediction, it would always be mentioned that where we end up would have a lot to do with how the veterans played, which versions of Johansen, Granlund, Duchene showed up, whether Forsberg was healthy, etc. There was always the "IFs"... if they play like top-6 players, if they produce... etc... then we're fine.

Those conditionals are wiped away now. So instead it's like "if" young guys like Tomasino and Evangelista and Novak and Glass and Parssinen can fill the void and generate enough offense as their replacements.

And I kind of like their odds of doing so. Assuming Brunette's gameplan is to just roll them out as our top group from Day 1, and not put them on the yo-yo string and have them walking on eggshells in fear of being replaced on the top lines by a Smith/Jankowski/Sanford type every time they make a mistake.

And really, if you consider the way the young players finished the season with that skeleton roster, throw Josi and Forsberg back into the mix, then add O'Reilly/Nyquist/Schenn on top. The skeleton team was a .500 team. Surely Josi+Forsberg+new guys is something even better? I know no media outlets or publications or whatever will take any of that into consideration. But I'm pretty optimistic.

The 'IFs' are exactly the problem and Duchene was 100% in the middle of that.
I'm having a hard time believing all the people that seem to forget Duchene was a major player in the CC mentality and horrible at playing within a team structure or concept. He has bitched and complained since he got moved to wing always talking about being a natural center.

I don't know that Trotz HAD to do the buyout but I can damn sure see the logic behind it. It could blow up in his face but I highly doubt it and I'm not sure how it does. Like, what's the scenario where we say, "boy, trotz really f***ed up letting Dutch go?"

 

[triggrman]

The 'IFs' are exactly the problem and Duchene was 100% in the middle of that.
I'm having a hard time believing all the people that seem to forget Duchene was a major player in the CC mentality and horrible at playing within a team structure or concept. He has bitched and complained since he got moved to wing always talking about being a natural center.

I don't know that Trotz HAD to do the buyout but I can damn sure see the logic behind it. It could blow up in his face but I highly doubt it and I'm not sure how it does. Like, what's the scenario where we say, "boy, trotz really f***ed up letting Dutch go?"

If that's all accurate, I'd let his ass go to. We've all had that teammate that always knew more than the coaches, and all they did was complain. You never need that in your lockerroom, sideline, dugout, etc. Those type players never win, but it's always someone elses fault.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I don't understand why it seems like a reach to understand that Duchene can probably fit into a locker room on a contender where he isn't expected to be the leader, but on this team he isn't a good fit. We literally have video of him talking to the young kids:

“Marty Raymond, the only coach in NHL history to have the worst power play and the worst PK within a calendar year,” Duchene says.


Duchene later adds that he “(hasn’t) paid attention in three weeks” during Raymond’s meetings.

“Here’s the other thing, too. We don’t change anything ever. So why do we even have a meeting?” he says.


That's the guy ya'll want to keep around a young core teaching them how to be professionals?

 

[nine_inch_fang]

If that's all accurate, I'd let his ass go to. We've all had that teammate that always knew more than the coaches, and all they did was complain. You never need that in your lockerroom, sideline, dugout, etc. Those type players never win, but it's always someone elses fault.

I don't know the depth of the complaining but as much as I heard during radio interviews, I can surmise it was rampant.

 

[wmupreds]

It seemed to me that over the past couple of years Duchene really matured past the reputation he's had for so long. But it's always more speculation than anything when fans like me talk about locker room issues. I do agree he'll fit better if not expected to be a major leader.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

It seemed to me that over the past couple of years Duchene really matured past the reputation he's had for so long. But it's always more speculation than anything when fans like me talk about locker room issues. I do agree he'll fit better if not expected to be a major leader.

I'm not saying people don't deserve second chances or evolve, but I will also say sometimes people tell you exactly what they are. It's easy to be a professional behind a camera for a 10 minute interview a few times a month. What are you saying when you have had a few beers in the back of an Uber though? He isn't the first guy to bad mouth a coach, but if you add up all the evidence, it sure seems like the statement that the team "doesn't trust him in the role of a mentor" has merit.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

It seemed to me that over the past couple of years Duchene really matured past the reputation he's had for so long. But it's always more speculation than anything when fans like me talk about locker room issues. I do agree he'll fit better if not expected to be a major leader.

Yeah, just to reiterate, I'm not saying he was a locker room "problem". If, the complaining I heard during interviews translated to complaining to teammates then he's probably not the guy you want being 1 of 2 veteran forwards on a team full of impressionable youngsters.

 

[Scoresberg]

Yeah, you probably didn't "need" to buy Duchene out but if you're going to change your entire culture, you need to go all out and not just half-ass it.

Duchene's a good player but I think Trotz is right in making the move. He's not a leader by any sort.

 

[NSH615]

It is funny that each team he’s played at least a full season for has replaced the coach during his time or right after

Except Columbus Torts was there before and there for a couple of seasons after. But considering the longevity of coaches now days, that's not surprising to see coaches change like that. I think we in Nashville aren't used to that as Hynes is the only coach the Preds have had that wasn't given a long leash.

 

[Enoch]

I don't understand why it seems like a reach to understand that Duchene can probably fit into a locker room on a contender where he isn't expected to be the leader, but on this team he isn't a good fit. We literally have video of him talking to the young kids:

“Marty Raymond, the only coach in NHL history to have the worst power play and the worst PK within a calendar year,” Duchene says.


Duchene later adds that he “(hasn’t) paid attention in three weeks” during Raymond’s meetings.

“Here’s the other thing, too. We don’t change anything ever. So why do we even have a meeting?” he says.


That's the guy ya'll want to keep around a young core teaching them how to be professionals?

That sounds like multiple problems:

A) The head coach needs to step in and fix this
B) The special teams coach possibly sucks
C) The player shouldn't be in this mindset and outspoken; it is poor leadership. Take it to the coach and discuss or your captain with the intention of going to leadership to review. Channel that angst into getting better and doing better for the team.

He can be right but also be wrong in how he handles it. Obviously, this is the case.

With that said, he scored what, 42 goals 2021-2022. How many times has that happened here?

Not every player is 100% character. Star players can have flaws and they can still be helpful and needed.

My guess is their are a lot of players that pointed this out (if true) about MD's character in the room. Hynes clearly did not like him.

With that said, I get the reason to move him i

 

[hido]

Pot kettle black?

 

[LeighDx59]

Pot kettle black?

I'd laugh if Dallas didnt even make the Playoffs next season.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Yeah, you probably didn't "need" to buy Duchene out but if you're going to change your entire culture, you need to go all out and not just half-ass it.

Duchene's a good player but I think Trotz is right in making the move. He's not a leader by any sort.

I think it goes back to the "critical mass" issue. When you have a veteran making $8M, and you already don't have a very strong leadership culture, and he just kind of propagates the existing void... well... you have to change what you can to try to stop the "critical mass" from tipping into the red. You can't do anything about Josi and Forsberg. So you just eradicate everybody else to tip things back into the black.

 

[PredsV82]

Pot kettle black?

Yeah... maybe it's you Matt...

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Yeah... maybe it's you Matt...

It may not be because of him explicitly but he hasn't been the catalyst to put a team over the top either.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Yeah, I'll say it, f*** that guy. You just made the list

 

[triggrman]

Yeah he might not be the problem but he’s not a solution either

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Yeah he might not be the problem but he’s not a solution either

That mindset of being somewhere and seeing the team as not a winning team, is exactly the issue. He goes to a team to find winners instead of becoming one.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Yup, if there's someone that would know a thing or two about winning, it's definitely this guy:

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Do you guys remember Matt Duchene from his post-draft Avs days? Or "The Legend of Matt Duchene" anyway? I don't know, he was like on every Team Canada for the World Championships, Olympics, World Cup, he even sometimes wore letters. Some of the coaches were legendary hardass types. And everybody wanted Matt Duchene. There were other legendary leaders on many of those teams. Heck, Ryan O'Reilly was an injury replacement in the days when Matt Duchene was a shoo-in for the roster.

What happened? Was it all just some kind of myth? I know for sure I had a different picture in my head of who Matt Duchene was as a player in those early years. Not really from watching him all that much. Just from the sort of "word on the street" and international tournament persona. And then he came here and he was NOTHING like that whatsoever. Like, not even close. A COMPLETELY different kind of player (still, not a bad one lately... just nothing like that OG legend). But was that early stuff purely a myth?

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Do you guys remember Matt Duchene from his post-draft Avs days? Or "The Legend of Matt Duchene" anyway? I don't know, he was like on every Team Canada for the World Championships, Olympics, World Cup, he even sometimes wore letters. Some of the coaches were legendary hardass types. And everybody wanted Matt Duchene. There were other legendary leaders on many of those teams. Heck, Ryan O'Reilly was an injury replacement in the days when Matt Duchene was a shoo-in for the roster.

What happened? Was it all just some kind of myth? I know for sure I had a different picture in my head of who Matt Duchene was as a player in those early years. Not really from watching him all that much. Just from the sort of "word on the street" and international tournament persona. And then he came here and he was NOTHING like that whatsoever. Like, not even close. A COMPLETELY different kind of player (still, not a bad one lately... just nothing like that OG legend). But was that early stuff purely a myth?

The difference between a young hungry player and a older comfortable player? Or maybe the CC was so infectious it just seeped into everyone without them noticing.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The difference between a young hungry player and a older comfortable player? Or maybe the CC was so infectious it just seeped into everyone without them noticing.

I don't have a clue, tbh. I will note his kids were born in 2019 and 2020? I was definitely a lot more gung-ho on everything at work before that life event came along. Not to say it's "bad"... it's just... "normal"... for most people to change their focus, anyway, although there are nevertheless some hard-core types who can lean on their SO to allow them to power through it.