Predators buy out Duchene's contract after four seasons

In a second franchise-changing move in the past week, the Predators have elected to buy out the remaining three years of forward Matt Duchene’s contract, according to multiple reports.

The team confirmed Duchene had been placed on waivers.

Duchene was owed $24 million over the final three years of his contract, and under NHL guidelines, the Preds will pay him two-thirds that amount spread over the next six years.

The decision to move on from Duchene comes less than a week after the Predators traded veteran center Ryan Johansen, 30, to Colorado, retaining half of Johansen’s salary at $4 million over the next two years.

Those two moves leave the Predators with $24.2 million in cap space, according to Cap Friendly, which is the fourth-highest total in the NHL.

The Predators will also be shelling out approximately $4.56 million of buyout money during the 2023-24 season, per Cap Friendly, $2.56 million for Duchene and $2 million for Kyle Turris.

The NHL’s free agency period begins Saturday.

The 32-year-old Duchene came to Nashville during the 2019 offseason, signed to a seven-year, $56 million deal. In 249 games over four seasons with the Predators, Duchene totaled 197 points (84 goals, 113 assists).

Duchene had a career season in 2021-22, totaling 86 points (43 goals, 43 assists) in 78 games. He set the franchise record for goals and power-play goals (15) that season.

But the numbers declined in 2022-23, as Duchene produced 56 points (22 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. He wound up averaging .79 points per game during his time with Nashville, just a bit above his career average of .76 points per game.

The Predators did not win a playoff round while Duchene was with the team, and the team missed the postseason for the first time in nine years in 2022-23.

Duchene’s absence, coupled with the loss of Johansen, will mean more opportunity and more responsibility for younger players like Cody Glass, Tommy Novak, Juuso Parssinen, Luke Evangelista and Philip Tomasino.