Anthony Duclair [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-anthony-duclair-gives-first-public-comments-since-taking-leave-of-absence] was the New York Islander [http://THN.com/isles]s' main addition in the 2024 offseason, but his first year on Long Island did not go as planned. After an exciting preseason, the 29-year-old was limited to just 44 games due to a groin injury sustained on Oct. 19 against the Montreal Canadiens. He returned later in the season but struggled to find his footing, finishing the year with just five goals and three assists over those 39 games. A frustrating season was further put under the spotlight amid public comments made by Patrick Roy following the Islanders' 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 1: “[Duclair] was god-awful. He was god-awful. He had a bad game. That’s why I didn’t play him a lot. And he’s lucky to be in the lineup. Sorry if I lose it on him right now, but that’s how I feel,” Roy said. Following Roy’s comments, the two decided it was best for Duclair to “take some time off,” effectively ending Duclair’s season. Despite the overall frustrating season, there were a few positives. Duclair started the 2024-25 season firing on all cylinders, recording two goals and an assist in his first three games as an Islander. He also impressed in the preseason, tallying one goal and four assists in four games, three of which were primary assists. Following the 2023-24 season, the Islanders desperately needed speed, and Duclair provided just that, finding immediate chemistry alongside Mathew Barzal as the two matched each other’s speed and style. While it is easy to pile onto Duclair, fans can look to Scott Mayfield as a reminder of why it is important to approach the new season with a clean slate. In 2023-24, Mayfield appeared in just 41 games after suffering an ankle injury in the Islanders’ season opener, followed by a mid-season upper-body injury and a season-ending lower-body injury in February. Playing the entire season on a fractured ankle severely impacted his skating, leading to unnecessary penalties and costly turnovers as he struggled with limited mobility. Fans were incredibly frustrated, but once fully recovered to start the 2024-25 season, Mayfield bounced back, notably leading Islanders defensemen in goals percentage while finishing third in expected goals percentage, per Natural Stat Trick. He was an entirely different player, yet nobody saw it coming following his down-year in 2023-24. No two situations are identical, but Duclair is in a similar boat as Mayfield was a year ago: “My game is based on speed, especially with the way I skate; a lot of power and obviously using a lot of my legs,” said Duclair. “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.” Like Mayfield in 2023-24, Duclair never returned to full health last season. As a result, he struggled. Duclair’s season was underwhelming – there is no denying that – but context is necessary. Final Verdict: C Perhaps no player heads into the 2025-26 season with more uncertainty about their placement in the lineup than Duclair. The first line is nearly set, with Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin in line to play together, rounded out with either Kyle Palmieri or Simon Holmstrom. From there, Duclair could slot alongside Barzal for the obvious reason they opened 2024-25 together, but Anders Lee may take that spot given his consistent goal-scoring ability and long-time chemistry with Barzal. Duclair or Lee could play the right wing – their offside – but this is something we have yet to truly see from Roy. This leaves Duclair on the third line, likely alongside JG Pageau and either Holmstrom or Maxim Shabanov. A Duclair-Pageau duo could work, with both strong skaters who excel North to South. Holmstrom has an extensive history with Pageau, so leaving him on the third line while giving Barzal a creative winger in Shabanov is a realistic lineup. Whether he is with Barzal, Pageau, or someone else, Duclair will need to stay healthy and start the season on the right foot. He has sustained his fair share of injuries throughout his career, but the Islanders improved forward depth will allow management to ensure any injured forward gets to full health before getting them back into the lineup. Starting the season strong is anyone’s guess, but Duclair has had an extended offseason to rest, and would one image he is as excited as anyone to get back on the ice. While there are many unknowns, a healthy Duclair could do damage in the Islanders' middle-six, leaving potential for a 20+ goal, 40+ point campaign that likely falls closer to the 12-16 goal, 28-34 point range, depending on power play ice time. CoreNHL’s model projects Duclair to provide an estimated $2.5 million of value in 2025-26. Stefen Rosner [https://x.com/stefen_rosner] contributed to this report.
