Anthony Duclair is a prime bounce-back candidate for New York Islanders

Anthony Duclair had a season to forget in 2024-25 with the New York Islanders. After high expectations heading into the season, injuries derailed his performance, limiting him to just 44 games. In those 44 contests, he scored seven goals and 11 points.

Those were not the numbers the club hoped Duclair would produce when it signed the 29-year-old to a three-year, $14 million deal last offseason. To compound things, head coach Patrick Roy made unsavory remarks, referring to Duclair’s performance on the ice.

The season hit a low point when Duclair stepped away from the team for a mental reset. This offseason, Duclair was on everyone’s trade list, but the Isles have not moved him. Perhaps it could be due to the lack of interest in him. Perhaps it’s the club still believing that Duclair can be a meaningful producer.

I’d like to think it’s the latter. And with this new season looming on the horizon, Anthony Duclair has an opportunity to push the reset button and bounce back.

The biggest change came off the ice. Mathieu Darche has injected a brand-new ethos into the organization. As such, Duclair has a chance to show he still belongs at the NHL level. Moreover, the mental and physical toll last season took on Duclair has hopefully been diminished by a summer off.

Given the new set of circumstances surrounding the New York Islanders, Anthony Duclair could have a shot at getting back to his top-six form.

2025-26 likely Anthony Duclair’s last chance with New York Islanders

There is one caveat to a resurgence from Anthony Duclair. This upcoming season is likely his last chance in Long Island. If he can’t stay healthy and fails to contribute meaningfully, the Isles may have no other choice but to move on from him.

Duclair’s $3.5 million cap hit, while hardly an albatross, may get in the way of upgrades later on in the season. If the Islanders are hopefully in the thick of the playoff race this year, Darche will be looking for upgrades come the trade deadline.

At that point, having an extra $3.5 million to work with could come in handy. So, if Duclair is not up to scratch, the New York Islanders may have to make a tough choice with the Quebec native.

The best-case scenario is that Anthony Duclair’s renaissance complements the changes already made to this year’s lineup. But there’s no doubt that the clock is ticking on Duclair. Hopefully, the discussion will be about how a healthy, productive season has propelled Duclair back to the heights of the NHL.

Otherwise, we may have to write an unfortunate obituary for Duclair’s time with the New York Islanders.