Matt Duchene has spent the last two seasons with the Stars on one-year contracts. However, just because he signed a one-year pact to remain with Dallas last year doesn’t mean he will this time around. Speaking with reporters today (video link), the center indicated that while he’d like to remain with the Stars, he’s also looking for stability beyond another one-year deal.
The 34-year-old fit in quite well with Dallas after he signed a one-year, $3MM contract following his somewhat surprising buyout from the Predators in 2023. He put up 25 goals and 40 assists in the 2023-24 campaign before struggling in the playoffs where he had just six points in 19 games. Still, that was more than a good enough performance to earn a second act with the Stars but once again, their cap situation necessitated another one-year, $3MM agreement.
This season was better than his first with Dallas. Duchene potted 30 goals along with a career-high 52 assists in 82 games while logging over 17 minutes a night during the regular season. Unfortunately for him and the Stars, his playoff struggles returned as he scored just one goal with five helpers in their 18 contests before being ousted in five games by Edmonton earlier this week.
While the second straight postseason struggle likely doesn’t help his value, Duchene is still very well positioned to land a fair-sized raise and a multi-year deal this summer if he reaches the open market. He is a legitimate second center in a market that will feature a lot of teams looking to upgrade down the middle. On top of that, he has been above average at the faceoff dot in every season but his first back in 2009-10 and with nearly 900 career points in over 1,100 games, he’s a proven commodity. It’s not outlandish to think he could double his contract from these last two seasons.
But if that happens, Duchene won’t be able to get his wish to stay in Dallas, at least barring some moves to open up salary cap flexibility. The Stars have less than $5MM in cap space this summer per PuckPedia with several roster spots to fill with that money. It’d be one thing to try to free up a bit of room to sign Duchene around the salary he’s earned the last two years but it would take multiple moves to have a chance to pay him market value.
With that in mind, Duchene will have to decide between taking less than his value to stay on Dallas with the hopes of getting at least two years on his next deal or testing free agency where he’d undoubtedly get both big money and term. He has the next month to deliberate just how important remaining with the Stars is to him.