Former Rangers forward out long term for Islanders with lower-body injury
Anthony Duclair, who began his NHL career with the New York Rangers, will be out long term for the New York Islanders because of a lower-body injury.
The injury is “more long term than short term at this point,” Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters Monday. The Islanders are still awaiting results on an MRI and x-rays and should have a further update Tuesday.
Duclair was injured in the third period of the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The 29-year-old forward drove to the net and went down hard. He was helped off the ice by linemate Bo Horvat and a trainer, and appeared to favor his right leg.
Duclair signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Islanders this past offseason. Playing on the top line with Horvat and Mathew Barzal, Duclair has two goals and one assist in five games. The Islanders (2-1-2) are tied with the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division.
This is a major blow to the Rangers rival. The Islanders do not have a potent offense (14 goals this season) and Duclair seemingly was building solid chemistry on the top line. Duclair scored 24 goals with the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning last season and 31 with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22.
The Rangers (4-0-1) are two points behind the New Jersey Devils (who’ve played three more games) for first place in the Metropolitan Division. They are five points up on the Islanders and don’t play their rivals until Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden.
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Former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair sustains lower-body injury for Islanders
Duclair was a third-round pick (No. 80 overall) by the Rangers in the 2013 NHL Draft. He played 18 games with the Rangers as a 19-year-old in 2014-15. The next season he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes as part of a package for defenseman Keith Yandle.
The speedy forward has 148 goals and 306 points in 568 games with nine NHL teams. He’s scored 20 or more goals four times.
He scored his first NHL goal with the Rangers on Oct. 27, 2014 against the Minnesota Wild.
Along with the Duclair news Monday, the Islanders also placed former Rangers forward Julien Gauthier on waivers.
Liam Foudy was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Tuesday to take Duclair’s roster spot. The 24-year-old is a former first-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018 and has 102 games of NHL experience with them and the Nashville Predators.
Simon Holmstrom skated in Duclair’s spot with Barzal and Horvat at practice Monday.
The Islanders’ next game is Tuesday at home against the Detroit Red Wings.
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