By Sue Tiffin
Published Nov. 14 2017
Matt Duchene who on Sunday Nov. 5 was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Ottawa Senators responded from Sweden to the Echo about his reaction to the trade.
“It’s a lot of emotions” he wrote on Nov. 9 to the Echo. “Obviously Denver was our home for a long time and my wife is from there so it’s gonna be an adjustment but we are excited. I’m very happy and excited to be play ing for a team like Ottawa. It’s a team I believe can win a Cup right now. Can’t wait to get started tomorrow.”
Duchene an NHL centre from Haliburton was in Stockholm with the Senators to play two regular-season games against his former team on Nov. 10 and 11 as part of the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series.
“I’m nervous but I think having it happen so close to the trade is a good thing” he said. “I don’t have the opportunity to overthink it which is good. I’m excited for it as well for sure.”
The trade deal was finalized on Nov. 5 almost two minutes into a game against the New York Islanders. Duchene left the ice after a sign from head coaches.
“I had a funny feeling I was gonna get pulled from the game but wasn’t one hundred per cent sure it was gonna happen” he wrote to the Echo. “When it did I wasn’t overly surprised but it was still a crazy feeling.”
He said he was able to talk to some of his teammates on the Avalanche before he left for Ottawa and caught up with all of them when the teams got to Sweden. On Twitter the day after the trade he praised the Avalanche organization coaches equipment and training staff for his experience over the past eight years his teammates for their friendship and his fans who he called “unbelievable” especially in their support over the past summer and season when a trade was anticipated.
Duchene’s trade was something he said had been “talked about for a long time.”
“I’m glad there’s no more speculation and I can move on with things” he told the Echo. “We are looking at a suburb of Ottawa as a place to live right now.”
On Twitter he also thanked Colorado for giving him what he called “such a blessed life.”
“You gave me a dream as a kid made that dream come true as a teenager and gave me a wife a dog and a home as a man.” His post said Colorado would always hold a piece of his heart.
In a busy week for Duchene that includes the trade training the next day in Ottawa and the flight to Sweden against his former team he was only optimistic for the future expressing his excitement to be back in his home province and for things to come.
“Many things the team on the ice off the ice the city the fans everything really” he told the Echo. “It’s a great opportunity for me.”
The Senators won both games against the Avalanche.