Matt Duchene is Heating Up During Recent Nashville Predators Surge
It has been an overall rocky season for the Nashville Predators, but you would not know that if you have been watching them recently with some impressive wins over quality opponents and going 7-1-1 over their last nine games.
Of course, the recent turnaround could not be accomplished without some of the core veterans stepping up like they did last season, and one of them has been Matt Duchene.
It was looking as if Duchene was indeed coming back down to Earth over the first couple of weeks of the season after erupting for 86 points last season, but he is getting it together and showing that his form might not be lost yet.
The Nashville Predators have been on somewhat of a tear recently, and the past two wins have come against two of the league’s better teams in the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.
However, the Predators have not been playing perfect hockey, but there’s no doubt that they’re at least getting slightly better in all areas.
Based on the team’s progression there is a good reason to believe that they are actually improving, and the expectation before the season started could eventually be met.
Duchene has been one of Nashville Predators’ top performers recently
When you look at the discrepancy in Duchene’s points per game before and after November 12, which is when the Predators’ hot streak began, it is not as big as you might think. He had 11 points in 14 games before, and since he has recorded 10 points in nine games.
It’s not just the points he is recording that matters. It is about how and when he has gotten them. In the earlier part of the season, many of his points came during garbage time, which includes those that came on empty net goals.
Duchene was virtually a non-factor when the team was struggling, and a huge part of why was because he was trying to do too much. Instead of making those plays that were skilled but powerful and effective, he would try to make the moves that were fancy and way too complicated, and they would get stopped by the defense.
What has changed as of late? During the past few games, Duchene has simplified his game, and it has started to pay off. He has found the balance between using his skill in the right situations and also imposing himself as a disrupting presence to create chances and eventually goals.
Duchene’s effort on the game-winning goal in New Jersey last week
was admirable and a tenacious play that Head Coach John Hynes always wants to see from his players:
Additionally,
Duchene’s assist on the first goal of Friday’s game in the win over the Islanders
was a perfect example of how he can best combine his distribution skills and vision to make a smart but impressive pass.
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Duchene is leading the Nashville Predators in assists with 15, second on the team in points with 21, and fourth on the team in goals with six. As previously mentioned, three of those are empty netters and another one came in a late comeback attempt against the Flyers that came way too late.
Performance from the players, especially the top players, has been a huge problem when the Predators were reeling, but that is less of a problem now/ Duchene looks like he’s heating up. He is still a very good player as the team expected when they signed him in 2019.