Duchene is a big reason the Senators are third in the NHL in goals per game (3.54), but they are also last in goals against (4.33). Duchene has an even plus-minus rating.
The ups and downs haven't dissuaded Duchene from appreciating his time in Ottawa. He's just not sure how long he wants it to last.
"I have no idea what my future holds at this point, so I can't really comment either way on that right now, but the one thing I know is I love coming to work, and I say work very lightly because this is my passion, what I love to do," Duchene said. "I love coming here every day. Whether it's the coaching staff or the training staff, equipment staff and obviously our group in here, it's a really great place to come every day. I've had a lot of fun with that."
Duchene, though, has at least given himself parameters for when he makes his decision.
"I want a chance to play for the Stanley Cup," he said.
The Senators are young and potentially could trend in that direction soon, but for now their record and the way they're trending don't make them look like a legitimate threat to contend for the Cup this season.
Duchene will have to decide if he thinks they will be able to eventually. That's part of what he is evaluating.
"Without me knowing at all what's going to happen, I do know my mentality is to find the best hockey fit for now and in the future," Duchene said. "It's not about really anything else for me."
One thing Duchene does know is that he can be a No. 1 center in the NHL. He's proving that with the Senators this season. He's on pace for 103 points, which would shatter his NHL career high of 70 from the 2013-14 season, when he scored 23 goals and had 47 assists with Colorado.
Duchene has 10 multipoint games, including six in November, when he has 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 13 games. He has two games left this month to become the first Senators player since Jason Spezza in February 2012 to have at least 20 points in one month.
Duchene said he has never felt better about his offensive game.
"The nice part is I'm being given the opportunity with the situations I'm being put in to feel that way," Duchene said. "I know what to expect every night coming to the rink, and if I put my gear on and give it my best, I know I'm going to have a chance to have success. That's something I've been looking for for a long time and I'm really happy about it, but at the same time I want to see more wins in the win column for us. Hopefully, we can start pounding those up a bit."
If they do, it'll certainly give Duchene a lot more to like. If not, he'll have a lot more to think about.
"It's an evaluation process," Duchene said.
