Welp, two Blue Jackets trade targets are officially off the market.
At long last, the Matt Duchene saga has come to an end. For months, it seemed like a deal would get done over the summer, after the 26-year-old forward put in a formal request for a trade. Columbus was a natural fit – at one point it seemed really likely – but the deal never materialized as Joe Sakic and Jarmo Kekalainen were unable to hammer out an agreement.
We speculated earlier that Kyle Turris could be an option, but obviously he’s no longer available, having been included in this massive deal. Here’s the full haul:
| TO COLORADO | TO OTTAWA | TO NASHVILLE |
|---|---|---|
| D Sam Girard | C Matt Duchene | C Kyle Turris |
| F Vladislav Kamenev | ||
| F Shane Bowers | ||
| G Andrew Hammond | ||
| 1st round pick | ||
| 2nd round pick | ||
| 3rd round pick |
This one is a doozy for a couple of reasons. First, Duchene and Turris are both legitimate top-line centers. Both players have early first-round pedigree and a proven record of scoring. The two have combined for eight 55-point seasons throughout their careers, and both players are in their primes (Turris is 28, Duchene is 27).
The trade also has a big impact on many teams that aren’t directly involved in the deal, as it effectively evaporates the trade market at center. That particularly hurts the Blue Jackets, who could use more production at the center position as they look to make a deep playoff run.
But hey, on the bright side, we got to see the most elite Irish Exit™ of all-time.
This is nuts. As Blake Comeau helped off the ice, Matt Duchene sneaks off behind him as he's been traded mid-game pic.twitter.com/cimyiRl2Vz
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) November 5, 2017
*Takes deep breath* Aaaaaand there's one more wrinkle here, as Elliotte Friedman reported that Turris will sign a six-year, $36 million extension with Nashville, where he'll form a formidable tandem with former Blue Jackets pivot Ryan Johansen.
Turris is signing a 6 years, $36M deal in NASH
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 6, 2017
There's also an Ohio connection here: goaltender Andrew Hammond was sent to Colorado in the deal from Ottawa. For those who aren't familiar, the Hamburglar played his college hockey at Bowling Green.
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