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Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is giving himself a little bit of insurance.

In order to acquire Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche, the Sens had to send their 2018 first-round pick to the Avs, along with multiple other pieces. However, if Ottawa misses the playoffs this season, and that first-round pick ends up being in the top 10, the Sens will have the option to keep it. In that scenario, the Avs would get Ottawa's 2019 first-rounder no matter what, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The Senators currently stand at 6-3-5, good for second in the Atlantic Division, and are just one year removed from a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Missing the playoffs seems unlikely, but anything can happen in this league, and it never hurts to provide yourself with some insurance.

After all, it was only this past offseason that the Philadelphia Flyers jumped 11 spots from 13th overall to second overall at the draft lottery. If that happened to the Senators this offseason without protecting their pick, they would surely be kicking themselves.

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The Colorado Avalanche sent Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators Sunday in a three-team deal involving the Nashville Predators. As a refresher, here's who each team received:

Ottawa: Matt Duchene

Nashville: Kyle Turris

Colorado: From Ottawa: First and third-round picks, prospect Shane Bowers, goaltender Andrew Hammond.
From Nashville: Second-round pick, prospects Samuel Girard and Vladislav Kamenev.

Who do you think won the trade?

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Turris has signed a six-year, $36-million contract extension with the Nashville Predators after reportedly being traded to the club from the Ottawa Senators as part of the three-way deal that sent Matt Duchene to the Senators, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Turris was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season and, according to his agent, was seeking a seven- or eight-year deal worth roughly $6 million per season during contract talks with the Senators back in early October.

Since joining the team during the 2011-12 season, Turris has tallied the most goals (117) and second-most points (274) among all Sens players, while dressing in 407 games.

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The wait is over.

The Colorado Avalanche have traded forward Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-way blockbuster deal involving the Nashville Predators, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The Preds will receive forward Kyle Turris in the deal.

In return for Duchene, the Avalanche will receive prospects Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev, and a second-round pick from Nashville. From Ottawa, the Avs will receive prospect Shane Bowers, journeyman goaltender Andrew Hammond, a first-round pick, and a third-round pick.

Duchene, who has long been seeking a trade out of Denver, had 10 points in 13 games this season before being pulled during the first period of Colorado's matchup with the New York Islanders Sunday. He is scheduled to become a free agent following the 2018-19 season.

Turris was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, but recently inked a long-term extension with the Preds. He has nine points in 11 games so far this season.

Related: Report: Predators sign Turris to 6-year, $36M extension following trade

Defenseman Samuel Girard, 19, has played five games for the Predators this season, picking up a goal and two assists. He's just 5-foot-10, but his skating and offensive ability should play well in today's NHL, and he's coming off back-to-back 70-point seasons in the QMJHL.

Kamenev, a left winger selected in the second round by Nashville in 2014, has registered 96 points in 136 career AHL games, including eight points in nine games this year.

Bowers was Ottawa's first-round pick (28th overall) in the most recent NHL draft. A center, he is currently playing at Boston University and has four goals and two assists in 10 games.

Duchene will get to face his former team almost immediately, as the Sens and Avs will square off in Sweden Friday and Saturday.

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Going to work every day as an NHL player isn't always as rewarding as it should be. Guys get banged up, barked at by coaches, and are sometimes overlooked for their excellent play or contributions to their team's success.

Such is the case for the following players, as all five are off to excellent starts to the season, but for whatever reason, aren't getting the love they deserve.

Here's a look at the NHL's five most underrated players so far this season.

Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers

The eighth overall draft pick from 2011, Couturier has never really lived up to the lofty expectations associated with being a top-10 pick.

But this year, Couturier is silencing his haters.

The 24-year-old center is on fire right now, notching a team-leading nine goals to go with nine assists for the Flyers. His 18 points through the first 15 games has Couturier sitting tied for fourth in league scoring among some pretty elite company.

Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning

It's understandable for one to be lost in the background when they're playing on the same squad as Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.

That is exactly the scenario Point currently finds himself in on the Lightning.

With Stammer and Kuch currently setting the league ablaze with 48 combined points already to their credit, Point's solid start of seven goals and nine assists is going mostly unnoticed.

Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues

Pietrangelo might not be underrated among more dedicated hockey fans, but when it comes to the average puckhead, the Blues No. 1 rearguard doesn't get nearly enough credit for how good he is.

Not only is Pietrangelo St. Louis' captain, but he's its unsung leader both on and off the ice, commanding the respect of his teammates by playing an unselfish brand of hockey that has become his trademark.

This season, Pietrangelo is off to the best start of his 10-year career, notching six goals and nine assists while leading the Blues to first place in the Western Conference.

Anders Lee, New York Islanders

If not for the hat-trick binging John Tavares, Lee would be pacing the Islanders in goals and points to start the campaign.

The hulking 6-foot-3, 231-pound forward has racked up solid numbers while playing on Johnny T's wing this season, scoring eight goals and seven assists while also serving time on New York's top power-play unit.

Thirty-five goals only a year ago announced Lee as a legit goal-scoring threat, but somehow he is still operating under the radar for Doug Weight and Co.

Vincent Trocheck, Florida Panthers

By playing in Florida in the shadows of guys like Aaron Ekblad and Aleksander Barkov, Trocheck has become a criminally underrated player.

However, back-to-back 50-plus point seasons had Trocheck entering the 2017-18 campaign with lofty expectations, and so far, the 24-year-old Pittsburgh native has not disappointed.

A solid start of 15 points in his first 13 games has the versatile forward finally turning heads, as he is on pace for his best season yet.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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