The New York Islanders’ search for a complete first-line trio to complement Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat appears to be over with the acquisition of Anthony Duclair on July 1 — and that is exactly what seems to be head coach Patrick Roy’s plan with training camp starting on Thursday.
“We’ll try him at the beginning with Bo and Barzy and see how it goes, and we’ll go from there,” Roy said from the team’s annual charity golf outing at Glenn Oaks Country Club in Westbury. “I think he’s going to be a good help to our team. He’s going to help us a lot. He’s going to help them a lot. So I think he can be a good addition to the team.”
The speedy 29-year-old left winger signed a four-year deal with the Islanders partly to reunite with Roy, his coach with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL nearly 15 years ago. The other part, though, had to do with the prospect of playing alongside Horvat and Barzal.
“[Roy] has definitely helped me evolve as a person and as a player. I give him a ton of credit for his help. I love playing for him, and I’m happy that we’re crossing paths again.”
Now playing on the other side of New York — he began his career with the Rangers — Duclair is expected to produce as he did before an Achilles injury derailed his 2022-23 season with the Florida Panthers. He scored a career-best 31 goals in 74 games the season prior.
“This is my 11th year now in the league,” Duclair said. “The coaches, management have seen me play a bunch of times. They know what they expect out of me and I know what I expect of myself.”
His top-tier speed makes an already dangerous duo of Barzal and Horvat that much more lethal. While Barzal is one of the best playmakers in the league, Horvat is a perennial 30-plus-goal scorer.
Duclair was roommates with Horvat during the 2012 Hlinka Tournament with Team Canada, though they were not on the same line.
“I know Bo really well,” Duclair said. “A real solid 200-foot player, a guy you can rely upon in any situation. I’m really excited to play with him and learn from him. He’s got those leadership skills… he’s ust a really good person all around.”
As for Barzal, Duclair described him as “a superstar,” whom he can create “some magic out there,” with.
“Having Dukey out on the ice, we’ve been playing together a little bit… He’s a fast, high-skill, good IQ [guy],” Barzal said of Duclair. “His compete level seems to be really high, so I think it’s a great addition.
“He’s a guy you could put him with anyone and he’d have chemistry… Anyone who gets to play with him would be lucky.”
The early returns have been good as the trio have skated together over the past couple weeks.
“Just seeing him the last two weeks, he can fly up the ice,” Barzal said. “Off transition and fast breaks, definitely with that speed, we could be dangerous. I’m excited to see where it goes.”
