At this rate, we should just put up a daily Matt Duchene column with how often we write about the star from the Colorado Avalanche. It’s hard not to, however, with training camp season in full swing.
Matt Duchene isn’t wearing the ‘A’ in Avalanche promo pictures amid trade rumors
Did Colorado just unceremoniously strip Duchene of the alternate captaincy?
On Thursday, Duchene took part in Avalanche training camp and media day, despite still being on the team’s trading block. As the day progressed, the mood seemed to worsen in Colorado. It all came to an icy end as Duchene talked to the media for a total of 15 seconds, stating that he was only there “out of respect for the fans” and his teammates:
Where the internet had real fun, however, is with this image of Duchene looking as miserable as a dog stuck outside in a storm for his promotional picture:
Not everyone was able to withhold their bad jokes, including yours truly, but the picture reveals something quite suspicious. First noticed by Reddit user OlivierLapi then by our Avalanche blog, Mile High Hockey, an “A” is conveniently missing from Duchene’s sweater.
Before you side with a jersey error, Nathan MacKinnon is sporting the alternate captain’s letter on his sweater for his promotional pictures:
If that’s the case, that Duchene is no longer serving as an alternate captain for the Avalanche, this is quite the sleight of hand attempt by the organization to sneak this under the radar. Duchene was alternate captain for just one season with the Avalanche, but the least the team could do was to announce it outright instead of showcasing his stripped “A” for all to see.
It’s no wonder, then, Duchene looks so miserable, if this jersey is the real deal. Of course, the Avalanche could be preparing for a trade by giving the alternate captaincy to someone with more projected longevity on the team. That is the end goal, after all: to move on from Duchene after such an unhappy marriage between the two.
And yet, after seeing general manager Joe Sakic’s history in dealing with Duchene, this just feels like another misstep on this long road to a trade.
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