Avalanche center Matt Duchene signs with team in Sweden during NHL lockout

It was announced by the NHL on Tuesday that Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene has signed for Frolunda of the Elitserien in Sweden. Duchene's move to the Elitserien continues a trend of NHL players signing in Europe since the NHL lockout wiped out the preseason.

Duchene is coming off of his worst season statistically as an Avs player, putting up 14 goals and 14 assists while battling a myriad of injuries throughout the 2011/2012 campaign. He has scored 65 goals for the team since they picked him up as the No. 3 pick of the 2009 draft, amassing 219 NHL appearances in an Avalanche sweater.

Semyon Varlamov became the first Avs player to sign overseas when he inked a contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League.

According to Frolunda's press release on the signing, Duchene could be in Sweden and playing with the team as soon as next week.

This story originally appeared at SB Nation.