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Duchene will play in the Swedish Elite League

Detroit Red Wings v Colorado Avalanche

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 10: Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche looks on during a break in the action against the Detroit Red Wings at the Pepsi Center on January 10, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Duchene earned the number one star as he scored two goals as the Avalanche defeated the Red Wings 5-4. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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Matt Duchene announced on Twitter that he’s signed with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League. He’ll be in Gothenburg Thursday evening.

After two impressive seasons in the NHL, Duchene had just 28 points and was limited to just 58 contests in 2011-12. To make matters worse, even when he was playing, he wasn’t 100%.

Duchene’s struggles might have motivated the Colorado Avalanche to hedge their bets and sign him to a two-year, $7 million extension while other promising youngsters like Jordan Eberle, Tyler Seguin, and Taylor Hall were locked up to six or seven-year deals.

In an effort to bounce back in 2012-13, Duchene spent part of the summer training with Sidney Crosby.

His stint in the Swedish Elite League will help him gear up for the comeback attempt that will begin once the lockout ends. In the meantime, his Avalanche teammate Gabriel Landeskog helpfully suggested that Duchene should do his interviews in Swedish, seeing as the Swedish-born Landeskog has been conducting English interviews in North America.