When news came Wednesday morning that Patrick Roy had tabbed Jarome Iginla as the second assistant captain, two thoughts came to mind. First, if Iginla had scored more goals (560) than every Avalanche player on the roster combined, and second, that Matt Duchene should have been named assistant captain.

That’s not to say that Iginla won’t be a great assistant. He was a phenomenal captain in Calgary, but Duchene has bled burgundy and blue since he was a child. Duchene idolized the Avalanche teams of the late 90s. But it’s not just his dedication to this team that justifies putting an “A” on his chest, it’s his play.

Since Duchene was drafted third in 2009, he has led the Avs in points during three campaigns. Duchene has played in 337 games and tallied 263 points, an average of .78 points per game. No other Avalanche draft choice since 2009 has scored more points.

During the same span Iginla has notched 316 points, including 30 goals last year with the Boston Bruins, but he wasn’t brought to Colorado for his offensive flair.

And in case you’re wondering, even with the young Avs roster, Iginla hasn’t scored more goals than the current team. Alex Tanguay 253, Matt Duchene 105, Ryan O’Reilly 73, Jamie McGinn 65 and Gabriel Landeskog’s 57, add up to a paltry 553 goals.

Iginla has grit, ferocity, a mean streak, whatever you’d like to call it, and his rough style should ensure that the Avs aren’t pushed around. Iginla also brings experience, and with 1,310 games played in the NHL, no one would ignore what he has to say in the locker room.

But Duchene’s talent for offense and his consistence is a rarity, something that deserves recognition for the leadership that he has displayed on the ice. Maybe in a few years this will be Nathan MacKinnon’s team, but right now, make no mistake, Duchene is the face of the team.

The Avalanche’s Matt Duchene should have been named assistant captain according to The Gazette’s Angelo Stambene.

Tony Gutierrez