This former Tampa Bay Lightning forward has a golden opportunity with his new team.
Earlier this offseason, the Tampa Bay Lightning lost forward Anthony Duclair from their roster. The skilled winger signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the New York Islanders, and he is now expected to be a solid part of their roster moving forward.
Now, after landing this sweet deal with the Islanders, Duclair is being given a grand opportunity immediately. While speaking to reporters, including The Hockey News Islanders' Stefen Rosner, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy shared that Duclair will start training camp on a line with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal.
Duclair is being given a big opportunity here. Horvat and Barzal are two of the Islanders' top forwards, so they naturally play on the first line. Thus, if Duclair finds chemistry with his new teammates and starts the year on a line with them, he will instantly be a crucial part of the Islanders' forward group.
Given Duclair's strong offensive ability, it is understandable that the Islanders are giving him such a notable opportunity. The 29-year-old thrived this past season playing in the Lightning's top six, posting eight goals and 15 points in 17 games following the trade. He clearly has the potential to produce well when playing with stars, so he could be a great fit on a line with Barzal and Horvat. It will be interesting to see how well they perform together from here.
