The Islanders signed Anthony Duclair final summer time because the lacking piece to their high line, envisioning his pace finishing a dynamic trio with Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat.
To say that has gone the wrong way up could be understating issues by an order of magnitude.
On Monday, with Barzal already out for the long run after surgical procedure final month believed to be on his left kneecap, Duclair — who missed time earlier this 12 months with a suspected groin damage — was made a wholesome scratch at Madison Sq. Backyard in opposition to the Rangers because the Islanders have been blown out to the tune of 4-0.
That got here after a third-period benching in Saturday’s win over the Predators, after which coach Patrick Roy, who had Duclair in junior hockey and was instrumental in getting him to signal with the Islanders, stated he anticipated extra from him.
The Islanders have been affected person with Duclair since his return from damage, understanding that he pushed himself to get again and isn’t one hundred pc.
However their endurance is showing to expire.
“I think it’s a mix of both [injury and other factors],” Roy stated when requested whether or not Duclair’s latest struggles can nonetheless be traced again to getting harm. “The very fact he missed a variety of video games, conditioning and all this, I believe it’s good for him to observe and skate. We’re gonna want him down the highway. We’d like everyone.
“I think I told you guys, we were not 100 percent happy with him. Now he needs to practice hard and be ready when he plays.”
Whether or not it is a one-game scratch to attempt to jolt Duclair or one thing extra extended isn’t clear.
However the Islanders, who went with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen in opposition to the Rangers, with Pierre Engvall additionally scratched and Scott Mayfield returning to the lineup, haven’t any scarcity of lineup choices proper now.
Due to the injury-induced purchasing spree of defensemen in late January, mixed with the blue line getting (largely) wholesome, 11 and 7 is a viable choice for the Isles.
And so long as Engvall — who had an honest stint on the fourth line previous to this scratch — stays on the best facet of Roy, there are alternatives within the ahead group as effectively.
Mayfield, Max Tsyplakov and now Duclair — all gamers whose names have been written in pen within the opening night time lineup — have all been within the press field lately.
The form of the roster might change between now and Friday’s commerce deadline, however till then, just about anybody might sit.
Roy declined to say whether or not the Islanders plan to start out Ilya Sorokin for a second straight night time on Tuesday in opposition to Winnipeg.
