Looking at the market for the Columbus Blue Jackets, it was always going to be tough to determine what they were going to be at the trade deadline. They have the roster to go far but have underperformed at times.
They definitively decided of what they were going to be when they acquired forward Matt Duchene. One of the top trade targets at the deadline, Duchene is a game changer and a player that the Blue Jackets can build some pieces around.
Duchene in his first public media availability after the trade had nothing but glowing comments for the team.
"Tons of skill, hard to play against," said Duchene about the Blue Jackets. "Anytime I saw Columbus on the schedule, I always dreaded going in that building and playing there, so it will be nice to be on the other side of it for a change."
Duchene has dealt with a lot as of late as he has a newborn baby. Couple that with the fact that he is moving teams again, this has been a massive amount of change for the forward in a short period of time.
"I was overwhelmed at the time (of the deal), but now I'm excited," said Duchene. "I'm excited to get out and start right now. It was great. It was a great phone call (with Kekalainen today). I really appreciated it."
After playing in his first game with the team, he knows that a lot will be expected of him. He played over 19 minutes and saw nearly five minutes of power play time. The playoffs are the first thing at the very top of his mind, and he outlined where his head is at for the stretch run.
"For right now, all I'm worried about is being a member of this team and excited to wear this jersey tonight and down the stretch here," Duchene said. "I believe we can grab a spot and have a great run."
