AP source: Predators boost offense by signing Matt Duchene

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators tried to shore up their offense Monday by agreeing to terms with forward Matt Duchene on a seven-year contract worth $56 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been officially announced.

The Predators opened up salary-cap space last week by trading six-time All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban to New Jersey for defensemen Steven Santi and Jeremy Davies as well as two draft picks. Subban was set to make $9 million each of the next three seasons.

Duchene, 28, had a combined 31 goals and 39 assists this season with the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets, who obtained him at the trade deadline. He also had five goals and five assists in 10 playoff games for Columbus as the Blue Jackets produced a stunning first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning before losing to Boston in the second round.

Nashville had the league’s worst power play and lacked scoring punch this year beyond its top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson. That became particularly evident in the postseason, as the Predators failed to score on any of their 16 power-play attempts while losing to Dallas in six games.

This marked the second straight season that Nashville has lost early in the playoffs to a lower-seeded team since its surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. The Predators posted the league’s best regular-season record in 2018 but fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

The Predators had tried to acquire Duchene from Colorado in 2017 before he was traded to Ottawa as part of a three-way deal in which Nashville added forward Kyle Turris.

Turris signed a six-year, $36 million contract after joining the Predators but had a frustrating 2018-19 season in which he accumulated 23 points in just 55 games. Turris’ struggles underscored Nashville’s need for more offense, which caused the Predators to step up their pursuit of Duchene.