Matt Duchene Rookie Rewind

**MasonRaymond0320** · 06-13-2010, 11:06 PM

A Look Back At The Center's First NHL Campaign

Thursday, 05.27.2010 / 10:15 AM / Features
By ColoradoAvalanche.com - Official Site of the Colorado Avalanche

Matt Duchene did just about everything that could be expected of him during the 2009-10 season. The center led all NHL rookies in scoring with 55 points (24g/31a) while playing in 81 contests, becoming just the second Avalanche player to win the rookie scoring title (Milan Hejduk also accomplished the feat in 1998-99).

The following is a look back at Duchene’s rookie campaign in Colorado.

Draft Day – June 26, 2009
Colorado found itself in an unfamiliar position at the 2009 NHL Draft. After an injury-plagued 2008-09 campaign, Colorado ended up with the No. 3 overall selection in Montreal. After the New York Islanders tabbed John Tavares with the No. 1 overall pick and the Tampa Bay Lightning selected Victor Hedman at No. 2, the Avalanche grabbed Duchene, a center from the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League.

Duchene became the Avs’ highest draft pick since the team moved to Denver, and the franchise’s highest selection since 1991 when the Quebec Nordiques selected Eric Lindros first overall.

NHL Debut – Oct. 1, 2009
Following a strong training camp, the Haliburton, Ontario native earned a spot on the Avalanche’s roster and made his NHL debut in the season opener against the San Jose Sharks.
In addition to being his first NHL contest and the jersey retirement night of one of his childhood idols - longtime Avalanche captain Joe Sakic - the night was also memorable for Duchene because of his play on the ice. The rookie picked up his first career NHL point by assisting on John-Michael Liles’ power-play goal in the second period of Colorado’s 5-2 triumph over the Sharks.

First Goal – Oct. 17, 2009
It may have taken a little longer than he himself expected, but Duchene netted his first career NHL tally in fashion.
In his eighth game as a professional, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound forward scored a big goal during Colorado’s 4-3 come-from-behind shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings. With the Avalanche trailing by a 2-1 count in the third period, Duchene skated up the right wing and unleashed a hard wrist shot from the top of the right circle that beat Detroit netminder Chris Osgood to the far side.

Multiple Times – Nov. 30, 2009
It was around this point in the season when the rookie really started to heat up. After totaling 10 points (3g/7a) in his first 25 games, Duchene recorded 45 points (21g/24a) over his last 56 contests.
In Colorado’s Nov. 30 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, his 28th contest of the season, Duchene lit the lamp twice for his first career multi-goal game. The first tally put Colorado up, 1-0, at 8:16 of the first period and stood up as the game-winning goal in the Avalanche’s 3-0 triumph. For good measure, he added a power-play goal to make it a 2-0 contest with 6:22 remaining in the middle frame.

http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=530207