Matt Duchene in Montreal: Big Revelation Regarding his Potential Arrival with the Canadiens that Ultimately Never Happened

He still had three more seasons to fulfill under his $8M per year agreement.

After an incredible season of 43 goals and 86 points in 78 games in 2021-2022, Duchene has noticeably slowed down this season, being limited to 22 goals and 56 points in 71 games. Even though his stats have significantly decreased, it still came as a surprise in the NHL to see his contract being bought out by Nashville.

Why are we talking about him now? It's because the main person involved just made a very interesting revelation about his contract negotiation in 2019, when he became an unrestricted free agent.

For those who do not remember, the Canadiens were in the running until the end to secure the services of the center player. He even took the time to visit the city of Montreal to make an informed decision that year, but ultimately opted for Nashville.

The third overall pick in 2009 revealed that Marc Bergevin made him a concrete offer that he considered, before deciding to join the Predators. The Canadiens were his second choice in order of arrival.

Do you believe the Canadiens dodged a significant problem by ultimately not courting Duchene enough for him to agree to join the organization?

It must be said that the club's destiny could have been very different with a player like him in the lineup in recent seasons.

Credit: