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Matt Duchene to Ottawa Senators, Kyle Turris to Nashville Predators, haul to Avs in trade

By The Sports Xchange
Colorado Avalanche Matt Duchene (L) shows his emotions after scoring a goal and waiting for his teammates to celebrate in the first period against the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on January 19, 2015. File photo by BIll Greenblatt/UPI
1 of 2 | Colorado Avalanche Matt Duchene (L) shows his emotions after scoring a goal and waiting for his teammates to celebrate in the first period against the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on January 19, 2015. File photo by BIll Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK -- The Colorado Avalanche pulled off a blockbuster trade Sunday night, sending center Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team deal that also involved the Nashville Predators.

The trade was finalized as the visiting Avalanche battled the New York Islanders at Barclays Center.

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Duchene and Senators center Kyle Turris, who was dealt to the Predators, were the biggest names among the six players included in the trade.

Duchene, 26, is a speedy former 30-goal scorer coming off a down year (18 goals, 41 points). In 14 games so far this season, he has four goals and six assists. The third overall pick in the 2009 draft ranks 10th in franchise history with 428 points (178 goals, 250 assists) in 585 career contests. He also ranks seventh in franchise history in goals and 10th in assists.

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The 28-year-old Turris, a pending unrestricted free agent, agreed to a six-year, $36 million extension with Nashville as part of the deal. Turris has three goals and nine points in 11 games this season. He scored a career-high 27 goals last season.

The Avalanche received the biggest haul, getting back two players apiece from the Senators and Predators as well as three picks in next year's draft. Ottawa sent 18-year-old rookie center Shane Bowers, goalie Andrew Hammond and first- and third-round picks to Colorado, which also acquired defenseman Samuel Girard and rookie left winger Vladislav Kamenev as well as second-round pick from Nashville.

"We feel this deal brings us some top prospects as well as some high draft picks as we continue to build for both the short and long-term future," Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said in a statement. "We've said all along that we wanted to be patient and wait for the right deal, and this is the opportunity we feel is best for the organization."

Duchene was active for Sunday's game against the Islanders but skated off the ice, along with injured left winger Blake Comeau, with 10:37 left in the first period.

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The trade caps a long period of rumors and speculation surrounding Duchene, who has been on the block for months as the Avalanche looked to rebuild by dealing the nine-year veteran whose contract expires at the end of next season. Colorado entered Sunday 8-5-0 after finishing with just 48 points last season, the fewest by a non-expansion team since 1998-99.

Duchene won't have to wait long to face his former team. The Senators will take on the Avalanche in Stockholm, Sweden, on Friday and Saturday.

Girard, 19, was a second-round pick of Nashville in 2016. There is a solid chance the puck-mover will slot right onto the Avalanche's blue line.

Kamenev, 21, was a second-round selection of the Predators in 2014. The Orsk, Russia, native has three goals and five assists in 10 games with the AHL Admirals this season, ranking second on the team in points and assists.

Bowers, 18, was Ottawa's first selection (first round, 28th overall) in the 2017 draft.

Hammond, 29, has spent the season with the Belleville Senators and has a 2.21 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. Signed by Ottawa as a free agent in 2013, Hammond has a 27-14-6 record in 55 career NHL games, posting a 2.31 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

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