The 2024-25 season for the Dallas Stars is “make the Stanley Cup Final or bust” after falling just short in the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers during the 2024 NHL Playoffs. The Stars extended netminder Jake Oettinger to an eight-year deal earlier in the season to get some good mojo for the squad. Currently, the team is third in the Central Division (20 points) as of the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 16 before they take on the Minnesota Wild at 7 p.m. Central in St. Paul. The Stars are only 10 points behind division leaders, the Winnipeg Jets while being 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. What has benefited the Peter DeBoer-led team is that they’re 7-1-0 at home and have a plus-18 goal differential.
Furthermore, there is one player who has been the best so far 15 games into the season and is someone who no one expected to have such a great start. While being 33 years old, it seems that Father Time has not caught up to the Haliburton, ON native. Who is that 33-year-old telling those that he is feeling better than ever? Enter stage right Matt Duchene.
Age Is Only a Number to Duchene
What a start to the 2024-25 season for the center who is on a one-year, $3 million deal and not expected to lead the charge in Dallas. In 15 games, Duchene has nine goals and 20 points, both team-leading, while also being tied for first in assists (11) with Mason Marchment. What is even more impressive is his deeper analytical stats. His goals-for percentage (GF%) is at 70.60. During the 2023-24 season, he finished with a 59.60% with his 25 goals and 65 points. He is on pace to possibly beat those this current season. Furthermore, just by looking at his Corsi for percentage (CF%), Duchene has a 55.10% compared to last season’s 49.40%. Anything over 50% for CF% is showing that your team has more possession of the puck when you’re on the ice. That alone shows that when he is on the ice, good things will probably happen for the Stars.
Related: Dallas Stars Sign Matt Duchene to 1-Year Deal
When asked about Duchene’s play this season, DeBoer told the press, “He’s been playing at an elite level…We wouldn’t have the record we have to start the season without him. He’s been arguably our best player.”
That was back on Nov. 6 and Duchene since then is still carrying that momentum. In hockey, people think when you hit 30 years old that the cliff will come sooner rather than later. Also, Father Time will catch up to you eventually because it does for everyone. However, Duchene feels differently about that mindset and aspect of evaluating players 30-plus years old.
Duchene stated, “It’s funny, when you turn 30, people look at you like you should be tapering off – and I feel the opposite. I feel like I’m just starting something. All around, mentally, physically, experience, I feel a lot better than I did when I was in my 20s and everyone thinks you should be in your prime.”
That is the funny thing when it comes to hockey, not every journey is the same. Guys can blossom sooner, later, or never at all. Despite being on his fifth team, Duchene is playing his best hockey on a Stars team mixed with veteran leadership and young stars. While he is the outright or tied team leader in stats, he is just playing his game and not feeling the pressure to be that guy. Even after his buyout in Nashville and taking back-to-back team-friendly deals, he is still the same guy who has been putting in the work almost 1,100 games later.
“It’s natural when you sign a contract like Dutchy signed in Nashville to measure yourself on points, and I think coming to us in the situation he came to us, you don’t have that pressure,” DeBoer said. “You just have to play the right way and help us win. And most times when you do that, the points come.”
To be able to lead a center group like Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston takes the pressure off of being that go-to center in all situations. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have Marchment on your wing either.
Related: Matt Duchene’s Polarizing Return Against the Avalanche
Furthermore, when you take the pressure off of yourself and clear out the excess noise, you start to play the game with more ease. The NHL is a “what have you done for me lately?” type of league and when you start to overthink everything, it can really get to you. Regarding Duchene, it’s all about blocking out that outside chatter. “I’m just trying not to care too much. I’m not saying that in a bad way, you can just try too hard and overanalyze things and overthink things, and for me it’s just enjoying the game.”
That mentality will go a long way and that is why he is defying Father Time and playing the best hockey of his career. Duchene as of right now is not getting the attention he should be outside of Dallas for what he has done for the Stars this season. If not for him, where would this team be right now just 15 games into the 2024-25 season? Either way, what a start to the season for the third-overall pick from the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Underrated Season for Duchene?
As far as seasons go, it is not the most underrated in his career. However, with the Stars, there could be something there despite only being in his second season with the team. There is a chance he could set career highs at 33 years old. This could be a season that does not get talked enough about if he keeps the level of play up through the 82-game regular season. He played 80 games the previous season, so there is a chance he could go the distance. If you ask him, the Stanley Cup matters the most but having a huge season for the team who has taken a chance on him twice would matter a lot as well. No matter how it goes, Duchene has plenty left in the tank and is showing why age is only a number, especially in the NHL.
