Matt Duchene Reportedly Traded from Senators to Blue Jackets

The Ottawa Senators reached an agreement Friday to trade center Matt Duchene to the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. 

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic noted that prospects Vitaly Abramov and Jonathan Davidsson are part of the package going to Ottawa in the deal. TSN's Bob McKenzie noted that defenseman Julius Bergman will also head to Columbus.

According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Senators will receive a 2019 first-round pick in the deal as well as a conditional 2020 first-round pick if Duchene re-signs with the Blue Jackets.

The deal takes place as Ottawa prepares to host Columbus on Friday night. Per Dreger, Duchene is expected to suit up for the Blue Jackets in the game.

The Sens acquired Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche, who selected him with the third overall pick in the 2009 NHL draft, in a November 2017 swap.

Although the 28-year-old Canadian was highly productive for Ottawa, including 58 points (27 goals and 31 assists) in 50 appearances during the current campaign, he's set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end. That put pressure on the front office to re-sign or trade him before the deadline.

In mid-January, Duchene said he wasn't letting the uncertainty become a distraction because he understood "it's a business."

"Honestly, I'm just letting it play out. I don't know what's going to happen. I have no clue," he told reporters. "This is still very early in the process, I think today is one of the first kind of real [contract extension] talks so I'm not sure."

Duchene ranks 27th among all NHL skaters with 535 points since 2009-10, his debut campaign with the Avs, per Hockey Reference.

His resume also includes two All-Star Game selections and an Olympic gold medal with Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Duchene should quickly slot in as a key piece of the Blue Jackets' top six, which is already headlined by Artemi Panarin and All-Star Cam Atkinson.

It's not immediately clear whether Columbus will attempt to re-sign the playmaking center or simply view him as a rental for its playoff run. Dreger noted that there have been no extension talks at this time, as the Blue Jackets are just looking to make a run at the Stanley Cup this season.

The Blue Jackets figured to be the team to watch ahead of the trade deadline as stars Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky are scheduled to become free agents this summer. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen decided not to wait around and decided to make a splash to bolster his roster as the franchise looks to earn its third consecutive playoff berth.

Columbus is currently on the outside looking in of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, sitting one point back of the Carolina Hurricanes for the final wild-card spot. The Blue Jackets have played two fewer games than the Hurricanes, though.