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Matt Duchene, John Tavares linked history goes back to 2009 NHL draft

NEW YORK — John Tavares and Matt Duchene are forever linked by going at the top of the 2009 NHL draft — Tavares No. 1 to the Islanders and Duchene No. 3 to the Avalanche.

(Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman was the second choice.)

Because their teams are in different conferences, Tavares and Duchene haven't seen each other much in the NHL after both played major junior in the Ontario Hockey League. They were teammates, though, on the gold medal-winning Canadian Olympic team at the 2014 Winter Games.

"He's obviously a great player; he's playing real well right now," Tavares said after the Islanders' morning skate Monday.