Duclair spoke with us on Thursday morning about his game and how the injury continues to affect him.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- When the New York Islanders hired Patrick Roy last season, one of the first things he said was that he wanted his team to play fast.
This summer, general manager Lou Lamoriello went out and signed speedster Anthony Ducliar, Roy's former player with the Quebec Remparts in juniors, to a four-year deal at $2.5 million annually.
The plan was for Duclair to bring that speed and, potentially, the missing piece to a Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal's line.
From training camp through preseason, things looked good.
They were a dynamic threesome, with Duclair being more than just a one-dimensional fast player.
When the regular season began, Duclair looked solid, earning a goal and two assists heading into the club's fifth game of the season.
But that's when a nightmare occurred for Duclair, his line, and the team.
In that game against the Montreal Canadiens, which ended in a 4-3 nine-round shootout victory, Duclair suffered a long-term lower-body injury.
He would miss the next 28 games before being able to return.
Despite being back in the lineup since Dec. 15, Duclair has struggled to be effective.
Although he did have points in three straight games since returning, which is a positive, he has been pointless in the last seven games, with a total of 10 shots.
Roy went from having him alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri to now having him alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Casey Cizikas in a more bottom-six role.
"It's tough. Yeah, it's tough," Duclair said on Thursday morning. "I try my best. But yeah, my game is based on speed, especially with the way I skate; a lot of power and obviously using a lot of my legs.
"So, with my injury, I think it was tough to come back, and I'm still feeling it. But I'm not using that as an excuse at all. I just need to play better."
How close is Duclair to feeling 100 percent healthy?
"I feel good enough to play," Duclair said. "For me, I'm just preparing my body the best way I can every single day in order to perform. Like I said, I'm not using my injury as an excuse, so I'll keep grinding every day."
The 29-year-old reiterated that he's good enough to play.
Duclair proved early on here that he can provide more than just wheels. He has a long reach and a strong build, and he can use those two tools to be a threat down low in corners and in front of the goal.
And because he is compromised, skating-wise, he knows he has to do better in other areas.
"I think I just need to control the puck more," Duclair said. " I don't think we're getting enough zone time or enough possession. We get in the zone and get, like, one chance. It's [been] a one-and-done kind of thing.
"I think we need to go hound pucks a little more and just have some more offensive opportunities."
What does Roy think about Duclair's game right now?
"He hasn't skated the way that he is capable of," Roy said. "It's obvious. When you've been missing a lot of games, it's hard to get your timing back and your conditioning back. He'll be fine. I trust him. I know how talented he is."
Roy gave us some insight into why he has Duclair with Pageau.
"Right now, less responsibility in a way, now that he's going to play with Pageau," Roy said. "Everybody who's been playing with Pager has been having success. I think that'll be a good spot for him, and hopefully, he will go back to the first two lines."
What does Roy need to see from him if his skating is
"I mean, it's no secret. I had that conversation with him about being a little bit stronger on the wall and his compete level, being more cautious of his puck management, [zone] entries, and stuff like this," Roy said. [I want him to play] more simple. When you don't have the same jump that you normally have, sometimes you just need to play a little bit different, which means throw the pucks more on net, or simplify your game until you feel like you have your your timing and everything back."
This wasn't how Duclair's first season on Long Island was supposed to go, but he's not looking back—he's looking forward. With 39 games to go, the team is still alive in the playoff race.
"The past is in the past. I gotta focus on the present," Duclair said. "And I've been through rough patches before in my career, and it never stopped me from being great the next day. So I think for myself, [it's about] not getting too low, not getting too high, and just staying even keel.
"I know if I put in the work, just like I have in the past, for me in my career, I think I'll get success."
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