Nashville Predators 2022-23 Season Preview: Matt Duchene

The Nashville Predators signed Matt Duchene in 2019, and at the time, it seemed like a great match for both sides. However, he just was not living up to his contract in the slightest, and before long, he was becoming one of the team’s biggest liabilities.

That was until last season, when Duchene showed everyone why the Predators invested so heavily in him. He had a career year at age 31 with 43 goals and 43 assists, while he showcased his offensive talent and became a tremendous contributor at both even strength and the man advantage.

Duchene went match-for-match with Filip Forsberg in the race to set the single season goal record for the Nashville Predators franchise, and the two players built an undeniable chemistry together.

Putting Duchene on a consistent top line greatly helped him, and he should be in a similar situation this coming year. Whether or not he is as highly efficient as he was last season, we can still expect him to prove that his first two seasons on the team were flukes.

Duchene will remain effective for Nashville Predators’ top line

Last season, the Predators put Duchene on a line with Forsberg, and for most of the year, Mikael Granlund was centering them. For a decent portion of the year, Ryan Johansen was their center, but either way, Duchene was great when he had Forsberg on the other side.

That is a huge reason to be optimistic about Duchene this year. During his first two seasons on the team, the Predators were a mess and they could not find a spot that benefited him, and there was a time in which he was on a line with players such as Erik Haula and Brad Richardson.

Last year, Duchene did not leave the top six once, and we got to see just what he was capable of. His talent backs it up too, as he can shoot the puck well, distribute it just as effectively, and has the play-driving ability that the Predators have lacked in their forwards for so long.

In terms of being a force with the puck on his stick, there was not a forward on the team that impressed and flashed like Duchene did in 2021-22.

Impressively, Duchene was one of the most efficient goal scorers in the NHL last season finishing top-10 in goals, expected goal for, and goals per 60 minutes, per MoneyPuck.com.

The big question coming into this season is that with him about to turn 32 and coming off of a career year, can he sustain his play? It shouldn’t be a huge concern at this point.

Duchene is still in his peak age of his career, and the NHL has proven that players with lots of talent can remain very effective as they age. Even if it’s not exactly on the same level for the veteran forward, do not expect him to just completely fall off the map.

Predictions and overall consensus on Duchene

Duchene is a highly skilled player and someone who should be able to contribute for many more years. You can also say he is starting to emerge as a leader as he gains more years with this organization.

Duchene is at his best when he is playing on the wing with Forsberg on the other, but even without Forsberg, he showed he can be a threat with possession of the puck. You can expect them to be together once again on the same line, fueling the Predators offense.

There may be a slight dip in Duchene’s production, but we should expect him to continue to do great things for the top line. Assuming he plays at or near a full season, 35 goals and 45 assists is a very realistic prediction.