Duchene feeling ‘really lucky’ with Stars entering 1,000th NHL game

DALLAS -- Matt Duchene doesn’t just use his hockey stick to score goals; he uses it to express his feelings about playing for the Dallas Stars.

Look closely at the white tape near the knob of his stick and in green marker you will see the words, “Try Texas.”

He’s not just trying, he’s thriving.

The 32-year forward has 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in his first 23 games with Dallas, helping the Stars get off to a 14-7-3 start entering their game at the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN).

He will hit a career milestone Thursday when he plays his 1,000th NHL game.

"That’s a lot of games to stay healthy,” said Nathan MacKinnon, his former teammate with the Colorado Avalanche. “To be good enough to stay in the League that long is just a feat on its own. It’s not easy, it takes a lot of work to stay in the League. There are always young guys coming into the League looking to make it on their own. It’s tough. He’s taking care of himself. Worked on his game a lot to stay at the level he’s at.”

He's found the next level in his first season with Dallas.

Playing with his fourth team in the past seven seasons, Duchene has found success centering a line with veteran forwards Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment, both of whom struggled to produce consistently last season with the Stars.

“Sometimes chemistry is instant, sometimes it’s there and you’ve got to continue to work on it,” Duchene said. “I would say we’re probably somewhere in between. It’s been really fun to play with those guys. I’m really lucky to be on that line.”

The Stars are lucky to have him, signing the No. 3 pick from the 2009 NHL Draft (Avalanche) to a 1-year, $3 million contract July 1.

Duchene became an unrestricted free agent June 30, when the Nashville Predators bought out the remaining three years of his seven-year, $56 million contract, a decision he described as “heartbreaking.”

The Stars jumped at the chance to sign him, considering at the time Duchene had 744 points (316 goals, 428 assists) in 976 regular-season games for the Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Predators, and 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 32 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“I’ve always been a Matt Duchene fan, but I’d be lying if I said I anticipated that he would be playing at this level this early for us,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. “Every time he steps on the ice, he wants the puck and he’s attacking and he’s dangerous. I can’t say enough about him. He’s been consistently our best player [to start the season].”

Duchene, Seguin and Marchment have combined for 22 goals this season, over a quarter of the 82 goals scored by the Stars so far.

“There’s no reason why we can’t be one of the best lines in the League this year if we live up to what we’re capable of and have a standard of how we play every day and build that standard and have a philosophy of how we play,” Duchene said.

That production has turned Dallas into a team that is able to roll four forward lines, and DeBoer expects offense out of each. That depth created by Duchene’s addition hasn’t gone unnoticed around the NHL.

“Great add for them,” said Colorado coach Jared Bednar, who coached Duchene from 2016-18. “Lot of versatility to his game. Obviously, a skilled player. To be able to add a guy like him to the depth that’s already in this organization, I think is a big pick-up. [Duchene] feels really good here because he’s producing and everything seems to be going his way.”

Some former teammates are not surprised he’s paying off for Dallas.

“I think [Duchene] has a lot of special talents,” said current Avalanche center and former Predators teammate Ryan Johansen. “The changes they made in Nashville, he seems to have found a good home here and [is] getting comfortable, finding his role and his spot on this team. It’s good to see him having fun and playing well.”

MacKinnon, who played with Duchene in Colorado for five seasons, was also not surprised at his easy transition to the Stars.

“He’s a great player, obviously still producing at a high clip,” MacKinnon said. “Very skilled, very elusive, great passer, very good skater, I think. He’s still using those attributes to this day.”