NHL Rumors: Matt Duchene, Kyle Turris and More

Stop if you've heard this before: Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche remains on the trading block.

Colorado general manager Joe Sakic first received offers for the center two years ago, and trade possibilities started to look serious at last season's trade deadline in February. It was quite surprising when he remained with the Avs at that time.

It was even more surprising when he was not moved prior to the NHL draft in June, and when he remained with the team throughout the summer, it seemed quite likely that he would be moved while the Avs went through training camp and played exhibition games.

But as the season began, Duchene remains in his Colorado uniform with the familiar No. 9 on it for a ninth season.

However, it seems like its just a matter of time before Duchene gets moved. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that as many as eight teams have contacted Sakic about acquiring Duchene.

Some of the more prominent teams include the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. Sakic's asking price includes a defenseman, a top prospect and a draft pick. If Sakic comes down just a bit, a deal is likely to get made sooner, rather than later.

The favorite may be the Canadiens, who need quite a bit of help at the center position.

Duchene could be joined by Kyle Turris of the Ottawa Senators on the trade front.

Turris is clearly one of the Sens' most vital offensive players, but the team and the player are having a hard time coming to an agreement on the term of his next contract.

Turris would like to sign a deal for seven years or more when his current deal concludes at the end of the 2017-18 season. The Senators reportedly would like to keep the deal in the five- to six-year range.

Darren Dreger of TSN said that he expects Turris to be traded prior to the deadline next February.

Turris said he understands that playing out the final year of his current contract is something that goes on in the business and that he was content to leave the talks to his agent Kurt Overhardt and Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion. 

"That's part of the job and it's part of the business," Turris said, per Garrioch. "Like I said, that's why I don't worry about it because I have no control over that and it's something I leave up to my agent and Pierre."

Andreas Athanasiou of the Detroit Red Wings was unable to make a deal with the team during the offseason and he still has not reported to the team.

Athanasiou has flown to Switzerland and he is contemplating a potential deal with Lugano, according to NHL insider Bob McKenzie. 

Nothing is imminent at this point, but Athanasiou wants to hear what Lugano has to offer before he makes a deal in Switzerland or decides to come to some kind of compromise with the Red Wings.