Matt Duchene excited to continue learning, growing in next four years with Stars

In a lot of ways, Matt Duchene is still a young player.

Well, let’s just say he still has plenty to learn.

Duchene is 34 and has played 1,138 regular season games, so you could speculate that handing him a four-year contract extension might be a bit risky. After all, players with that much mileage have a tendency to wear down at this point in their respective careers. But the interesting thing about Duchene is he’s played just 69 playoff games, and 37 of those have come in the past two seasons while wearing Victory Green. That fact means that the wily center can definitely get better in postseason games, and it also means he’s hungry to do it with the Stars.

That’s one reason Duchene signed a four-year contract extension with Dallas that averages $4.5 million. That’s good value for a guy who tallied 82 points (30 goals, 52 assists) in 82 games last season.

“For me, I think the last two years have been a learning process in the playoffs,” Duchene said. “Now I feel I can use what I’ve learned in the playoffs and apply it going forward. And I feel really good about getting the chance to do it with this team.”

The Stars are the perfect fit for Duchene. They have made the Western Conference Final the past three years and have a new head coach in Glen Gulutzan in hopes he can push them over the top. They also have a roster in its prime with players like Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston, Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson each 26 years old or younger.

Duchene is on his fifth NHL team and had signed back-to-back one-year deals at $3 million in Dallas after getting bought out by Nashville in 2023. That made him a huge bargain for the Stars, and his statistical performance alone dictated he deserved a raise. But the veteran leader also wanted security and a nice fit for the remainder of his career, so he and GM Jim Nill started discussing extension around the middle of last season.

“I was talking to Matt about extensions even before the trade deadline,” Nill said. “I know Matt and his family love it here and they wanted some security, and we were on board with that. It’s a deal where both sides are happy.”

That said, it took until the offseason because Nill traded for Mikko Rantanen and gave him an eight-year deal that averages $12 million per season. That made the cap space gymnastics a little tough for the front office. Duchene understood the process and said he was willing to wait because he loves it in Dallas.

“A lot of people would love to play for the Dallas Stars, and I’m a guy who gets to, so I didn’t want to mess around with that,” Duchene said. “You have a chance to win here, and that’s the most important thing for me. My two years with the Stars so far have been fantastic, and other than not winning the Stanley Cup, I don’t think it could have gone any better. I’m really hungry to keep pushing forward to reach the ultimate goal, and I think this is the best place to do that.”

To do that, the Stars need a better version of Duchene in the playoffs. In 37 postseason games with Dallas, Duchene has just 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) and is minus-16. If he was anywhere near his regular season success, he could have been a big boost to a Stars team that is 11th in playoff scoring in that span at 2.62 goals per game.

“I definitely know I can find a way to score more,” Duchene said. “The first year in Dallas, I just wasn’t quite there, and I was trying to find my comfort level. This year, I think I was much better. I know the numbers say it wasn’t better, but I have had some advanced stat people tell me it was a lot better. For some reason, the pucks just didn’t go in. They didn’t go in for me, or they didn’t go in for my teammates off of my passes, and so I need to look at all of that and be even better next year. I think I did learn to trust in myself, and I think it can be even better going forward. At 34, you’re still learning to manage those things.”

Nill agreed, saying he also saw Duchene’s level of play improve this year.

“His analytics, he was up there with a lot of the best players, and it just didn’t happen for him,” Nill said. “I think he learned a lot. Maybe he does need to change some things, maybe he does need to shoot some more. You look at his career, and he has played more playoff games the past two years than for the rest of his career, so he’s still learning in the playoffs. You do have to go through it. You can talk about it all you want, but the real experience is something you can’t simulate. You learn in times like that. I really look forward to seeing what he can do going forward.”

Duchene is a player who thinks a lot, and that can be good and bad. Part of his mental process did include the uncertainty of the one-year contracts, and now that issue has gone away. He not only wants to win, but he wants to be a leader for the team and the community. The certainty of four years allows a certain peace of mind. Mix that with a veteran confidence, and the results could be special.

“I think my overall 200-foot game is as good as it has ever been in my career,” he said. “I think as you get older, you get your brain in that place. You learn how to play the game smarter, you learn what to do and what not to do. And as far as statistics, I think that was the second-best year of my career. I don’t see any reason why I can’t take another step forward.”

Duchene’s best numbers came in Nashville in 2021-22 with 86 points (43 goals, 47 assists), so putting two of his best years in the past four over a 16-year career is impressive. He said we shouldn’t be surprised.

“You don’t have to look any further than Joe Pavelski to see that you can play well later in your career,” Duchene said of the former Stars standout. “I’m sure at some point there will be some statistical decline, that’s just sports. But I’m really confident in where I am in my career. I really feel good about what I can bring to this team. What I can guarantee is the work ethic, the passion, the pride…just bringing the absolute best that I can bring.”

And that made it an easy decision to sign him for another four years, Nill said.

“He’s at a great place in his career,” Nill said. “I do think our success is huge for him. He wants that opportunity again, he wants to take the next step, and he can do that here.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.