The tension between Anthony Duclair and Patrick Roy that lingered from last season has finally been addressed, allowing both to turn the page. What began with a public critique late in the campaign has now become a story of understanding and reconciliation. The New York Islanders’ winger and the Hall of Fame goalie-turned-coach met this summer to clear the air, aiming to restore trust and focus ahead of the new NHL season.
Duclair’s absence after the criticism had sparked concern among fans and teammates alike. After Roy called his play “god-awful” in early April, Duclair took a leave of absence, leaving him sidelined for the remainder of the season. The winger has since spent his offseason focusing on full recovery, emphasizing that the criticism came while he was still dealing with a lingering groin injury.
In a candid discussion at the Islanders’ annual charity golf tournament, Duclair opened up about the situation. “I told him I didn’t need an apology — I just needed him to know I was playing hurt, and he told me he didn’t really know the extent of the injury,” Duclair said. “I think it was just a miscommunication by everybody, myself included.”
Can Duclair reclaim his form after injury and public criticism?
The conversation between Duclair and Roy reportedly went smoothly, with both expressing a shared commitment to move forward. “It’s an emotional game, and sometimes you’re saying things, but the outcome didn’t do anything good for us,” Roy said. “I feel like it almost was negative more than anything else, and I think Anthony had a lot of trust in me, and I felt like I let him down a little bit there.”
Head coach of the New York Islanders Patrick Roy speaks with the media. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Duclair, who turned 30 on August 26, had suffered a severe groin injury last October that took longer to heal than anticipated. Before the injury, he had scored two goals in five games, but in the subsequent 39 games, he recorded just five goals and four assists. Roy’s frustration stemmed from what he perceived as a lack of effort on the ice, though the winger emphasized his limited physical capacity during that stretch.
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Looking forward to a fresh start
With a four-year, $14 million contract secured as a free agent, Duclair is now fully focused on returning to peak condition for the regular season. “My focus is Game 1 of the regular season and being ready for that,” he said. “Going to take all the time that’s needed during training camp, preseason, whatever it is.”
Roy indicated that Duclair will begin the season on the third line alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, hoping that the winger can regain the form that earned him 24 goals in 2023-24. “I want him to be who he was before he got hurt,” Roy said.
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The Islanders enter training camp with renewed optimism, aiming to build cohesion and leverage Duclair’s scoring potential from the start. How the winger rebounds will be a key storyline as New York looks to make a deep playoff push.
