"All I can say is I am encouraged by what I see in here," Duchene said, "and I think that this could be a very great spot for me to end up for a long time … if they want to have me."
As part of the three-team trade that brought Duchene to the Senators on Nov. 5, Ottawa had the option of sending its first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft to the Avalanche, or keeping the pick and giving Colorado its first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Senators kept the pick and selected Boston University forward Brady Tkachuk at No. 4.
Tkachuk, viewed by the Senators as a building block for future success, signed a three-year, entry-level contract Aug. 13.
"I think I can compete right away," he said.
Tkachuk, 18, defenseman Thomas Chabot, 21, and forwards Logan Brown, 20, and Colin White, 21, are considered the foundations for the Senators rebuild. All that remains is the waiting game to see if Karlsson, Stone and Duchene will be part of it.