Duchene says he'd love to stick with Senators long term

Despite a season's worth of turmoil, Matt Duchene isn't rejecting the possibility of signing a long-term deal with the Ottawa Senators.

With one season left on his contract, the forward is eligible to sign an extension at any point, and while he and general manager Pierre Dorion haven't begun negotiations, the 27-year-old is open to committing to the nation's capital.

"I'd love for it to work," Duchene told NHL.com on Tuesday. "(Ontario) is my home province, three hours from home, Canadian city. Would be awesome if things could work out for sure."

Duchene arrived in Ottawa last November via trade after a drawn-out split with the Colorado Avalanche - who surprisingly went on to qualify for the postseason while the Senators tumbled to a 30th-place finish.

Amid the organizational hardships, Duchene managed to play some strong hockey, registering 23 goals and 26 assists in 68 contests with Ottawa.