New York Islanders player Anthony Duclair is likely not in his coach`s good graces after a recent game.
Following Tuesday`s 4-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy openly criticized veteran forward Anthony Duclair`s performance.
“He was terrible. Absolutely terrible. He had a very bad game,” Roy stated, according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN. “That`s why his playtime was limited. He`s fortunate to even be playing. I apologize for my strong words, but that`s my honest opinion.”
Duclair only played a few shifts in the third period on Tuesday, totaling just over 12 minutes of ice time. His stats for the game were a minus-1 rating with no points.
When questioned about the reasons for Duclair`s struggles, Roy suggested it was due to a lack of effort.
“He isn`t skating hard, not competing effectively, and not moving his feet. He`s not performing to the level we expect from him,” Roy explained.
Duclair, 29, signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Islanders in the off-season, which includes a no-move clause until 2026.
In his first season with New York, Duclair has only scored seven goals and provided four assists in 44 games. He missed the start of the season due to a lower-body injury and has struggled to regain his form since returning.
However, Duclair is not the only issue for the Islanders. Tuesday`s loss to the Lightning marked their sixth consecutive defeat, and they are now five points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With only eight games left in the season, both the Islanders and Duclair need to make significant improvements to get back into their coach`s favor and improve their playoff chances.
Tristan Blackwood