Matt Duchene will have plenty of options when deciding where to play hockey for the next 7-8 years of his career in the National Hockey League.
Last week Duchene was featured on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast and talked about how he would like to fit in with whichever team he decides to sign with during the 2019 offseason.
"I don't want to be the center of attention – I don't need to be the center of attention," Duchene said. "I wanna be one of the guys...You never wanna be the only guy because that means you're not winning".
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 41-goal scorer Cam Atkinson around until the 2024-25 season and top-tier defenseman Seth Jones under contract until 2022. The Jackets also feature a few young players who are on the rise (below are reguar-season statistics):
- Center Pierre-Luc Dubois (age 20) registered 61 points, continuing to progress in his second NHL campaign.
- Right winger Josh Anderson (age 25) racked up 27 goals, was a speedy threat and added a physical presence to the club with 214 hits.
- Defenseman Zach Werenski (age 21) continued to be a major part of the back end, averaging 22:54 of ice. Werenski continued to put up offensive numbers with 11 goals and 33 assists.
The teammates Duchene ends up with are only one piece of the equation, but it could play a major factor in his decision of where he ends up.
"You look at (John) Tavares – he goes to Toronto and he's one of the guys – he's still an absolute stud," Duchene said. "He's one of the guys, along with a bunch of other guys. So I think that's like a situation you wanna find yourself in that you, you put yourself in a position to win and be alongside some really good players.
"You definitely want the opportunity to play the best that you can and be the player you're capable of being, but have a chance to win at the same time."
You can check out the full interview with Matt Duchene below: