Islanders normal supervisor Lou Lamoriello advised reporters Monday that winger Anthony Duclair is dealing with a long-term absence after sustaining an obvious left leg harm Saturday towards the Canadiens (through Andrew Gross of Newsday). Lamoriello estimates it received’t be a season-ending absence, however they’ll have a extra particular timeline Tuesday after additional testing.
Duclair, 29, now has to hit pause on his contemporary begin on Lengthy Island after negotiating himself a four-year, $14M deal in free company over the summer time. He was anticipated to be an affect piece for a lagging Islanders offense and appeared to suit the invoice early on, logging top-line minutes with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. He posted two objectives and an help in 5 video games whereas posting dominant possession metrics — the trio managed 64.6% of anticipated objectives collectively, per MoneyPuck.
He’s often been a standout secondary goal-scorer with out being a lot of a defensive legal responsibility, if in any respect. He’s traditionally posted barely above-average possession metrics, however accidents and plain outdated consistency points have led to wildly completely different year-to-year level totals. The Quebec native confirmed his potential to flourish in top-six utilization as lately because the 2021-22 marketing campaign when he had a career-high 31 objectives and 58 factors in 74 video games for the Panthers.
However Duclair tore his Achilles tendon whereas coaching the next offseason, preserving him out for the overwhelming majority of 2022-23. He wasn’t terribly efficient after returning to minimize the stretch, scoring solely twice in 20 appearances. He’s flipped groups twice since then, first traded to the Sharks in a cap-dump deal over the 2023 offseason and once more to the Lightning as a deadline rental final season.
Duclair did the very best he may on a severely undermanned Sharks offense, posting 16 objectives and 27 factors in 56 video games earlier than the commerce. He ended the marketing campaign on a tear in Tampa, although, scoring eight instances and including seven assists in 17 video games whereas taking part in the top-line complementary position that yielded a lot success from him in South Florida. The Islanders had been hoping to get an analogous fee of manufacturing out of him whereas putting him with their star forwards, however as an alternative, they’ll lose his providers for a good portion of the primary yr of his contract.
For now, the outlook for this yr’s Islanders turns into dicey. They’ve once more struggled to attain out of the gate, rating twenty sixth within the league with 2.60 GF/GP. Lacking Duclair for an prolonged interval actually received’t do something to enhance that. However the Isles’ possession play at even power has been sturdy, they usually’re getting stellar goaltending from Ilya Sorokin (.953 SV% in 2 GP). That’s a well-known recipe that’s gotten them to the postseason in recent times, even with a subpar offense.
Lamoriello said the Islanders will add a ahead on a call-up from AHL Bridgeport later within the coming days to interchange Duclair on the roster. Julien Gauthier, who’s on waivers, received’t be staying on the roster with Monday’s information. It’s a performance-based demotion that may see him head to Bridgeport if he doesn’t get claimed. He also said that veteran enforcer Matt Martin, who stays on a PTO, isn’t a candidate for a contract presently. Somebody already within the group will get the decision.
By way of who replaces Duclair’s minutes alongside Barzal and Horvat, Monday’s line rushes indicated it’ll be Simon Holmström (through Stefen Rosner of NHL.com). The 2019 first-round decide has two assists and a +1 ranking in 5 appearances this season whereas averaging 13:32 per sport, seeing most of his time at proper wing alongside Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
