FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan picked Matt Duchene on Wednesday when Jordan, a junior reporter at the team’s media day, asked which Stars player would make the best coach someday. Her two questions closed out the availability.
Gulutzan’s answer came down to power plays.
“That’s a great question. I’m going to have to think about that,” Gulutzan said. “Who would I think would be a great coach? Who are the guys that always want to coach our team? Let’s see. I’m going to say Dutchie would be a great coach. I’m going to say Dutchie, because Dutchie would certainly like to get his hands on a few power plays and be a power-play coach, and his ideas, and he’s been around a long time. So I’m going to say Dutchie. And he’s one of our older guys, so he’s probably closer to coaching.”
Matt Duchene’s Power-Play Production With The Dallas Stars
Last season Duchene had 16 goals, 29 assists, and 45 points in 57 games. Fourteen of those points came on the power play, including 5 goals. Dallas scored on 71 of its 248 power-play opportunities.
Against the Minnesota Wild in the first round, Duchene had 2 goals, 7 assists, and 9 points in six games, the most on the team. Seven of those points came on the power play.
Duchene turned 35 in January and is entering his 18th NHL season. The Colorado Avalanche took him third overall in 2009. He signed a four-year, $18 million contract with Dallas in June 2025. It carries a $4.5 million cap hit through 2028-29.
Glen Gulutzan Says Matt Duchene Looks Fantastic Before Dallas Stars Camp
Duchene was one of the older players Gulutzan pointed to when he discussed the longer summer that followed Dallas’ first-round exit.
“Some of the older players had a little longer to train too,” Gulutzan explained. “I know, and I’m saying Dutchie. Dutchie looks fantastic. He looks in great shape, and they’ve just had that longer runway to kind of get their bodies back in, and hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
Jordan’s first question was about Gulutzan’s life outside hockey. He called himself a terrible golfer.
“What do I like to do outside of hockey? I honestly like to golf. I like to golf,” Gulutzan said. “I’m a terrible golfer, but I do enjoy getting out there and golfing with my friends. So I think it’s one of those things. You like being with your friends. Most of my friends golf, so I’m forced to the course.”
Camp opens Thursday at Comerica Center. The preseason opens Saturday, Sept. 19, at the St. Louis Blues, with puck drop at 6 p.m. CT.
