Duking It Out
Duclair needs time to reflect; Isles host Wild looking to snap skid
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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
If you’ve listened to the Quick Fix podcasts this season (and thank you if you have), you know that Chris Botta and I have often commented on how measured Patrick Roy's commentary has been. The fiery, passionate Roy had been the epitome of calm after losses, finding bits of optimism during a season of results that have sided with the pessimists.
We’ve wondered whether he has been trying to undo his reputation from his time in Colorado or if he was thinking about job security. Either way, he navigated the entire season without creating a headline or a distraction until the last two days.
Two days after questioning Anthony Duclair’s effort, calling him “godawful” and saying that he was lucky to be in the lineup, Duclair asked for time away from the team to reflect following a conversation that Roy called, “a positive one,” and finished by saying that closed the discussion on him.
We don’t know how long Duclair intends to be away from the team, and we don’t know if Roy would play him if he returned. It’s an odd situation and a deviation from what you’d expect from a Lou Lamoriello-run organization.
The Islanders have been bad, but being dysfunctional bad is different. This is when things go beyond just poor performance. It’s a mix of mismanagement, lack of identity, unclear coaching strategies, poor communication, and internal turmoil. The Isles avoided that label all year, but it feels relevant now.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: The Islanders announced Thursday that Anthony Duclair has been granted an indefinite leave of absence, as confirmed by head coach Patrick Roy. The decision comes after Roy’s harsh public criticism of Duclair’s performance in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Lightning, where the coach called him “god-awful” and questioned his effort.
🤷♂️ What Happened?
Duclair was notably absent from practice, leading to Roy addressing the situation:
"This morning, Anthony and I had a very good conversation, a very positive one, and Anthony asked me to take some time off to reflect. Obviously, I agreed to that."
📉 A Season of Struggles
Signed a four-year, $14 million contract to boost the Islanders' offense.
Has just 7 goals and 4 assists in 44 games.
Missed 28 games due to a groin injury suffered in October.
Has struggled since returning, tallying 5 goals and 3 assists in 39 games.
Matt Martin Returns to Islanders Lineup vs. Wild
After a 30-game absence, veteran winger Matt Martin will return to the lineup on Friday against the Minnesota Wild. Martin, who last played on Jan. 16, has been a healthy scratch but remained a dedicated presence at practice.
◾️Martin’s Mindset: "I’m excited to get back in the lineup and play a game at home," Martin said. "Anytime you play with your teammates, it’s special. It’s been a while, so hopefully, I can contribute."
◾️ Patrick Praise Despite his time out of the lineup, Martin’s leadership and work ethic have not gone unnoticed by head coach Patrick Roy: "He’s been a great leader. It’s impressive the way he’s worked hard every day at practice, pushing the guys that were not playing and helping them have a positive mindset. I’m excited to give him the opportunity to play tomorrow."
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders are on home ice tonight, looking to snap a six-game winless streak against the Minnesota Wild. Face-off is set for 7:30 PM EDT.
📊 STANDINGS:
The Mental Game: Working with Andrew Ladd
To stay mentally strong, the Islanders’ top prospect, Calum Ritchie, acquired in the Brock Nelson deal, has been working weekly with former Islander Andrew Ladd, who now coaches athletes on performance and mindset. "He has a very clear idea of the player, leader, and professional he wants to be,” said Ladd. “He’s handled the challenges of this season incredibly well." Let’s hope Ritchie’s tenure on Long Island goes more than a tad better than it did for Ladd.
Brad Malone, Oshawa’s head coach, sees shades of Brock Nelson in Ritchie’s game. "When I heard who he was traded for, I thought, ‘The Islanders got themselves a young replacement.'" The 2024-25 season has been a whirlwind for Calum Ritchie, but the 19-year-old sees it as “really cool.” After being drafted 27th overall by Colorado in 2023 and scoring his first NHL goal (against the Isles) Ritchie’s stock has skyrocketed, and he’s now a top prospect.
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, the Isles are 5-8 in games decided by an overtime goal and 2-2 in shootouts. Ilya Sorokin is 5-5 in overtime and 1-1 in shootouts, Semyon Varlamov is 0-2 in overtime and 1-1 in shootouts, and Marcus Hogberg is 0-1 in overtime and 0-0 in shootouts. Sorokin has 36 OT/SO losses, extending his club record (Rick DiPietro had 28).
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On April 4, 2004, the Islanders played to a 3-3 tie against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Nassau Coliseum. Notably, this game marked goaltender Wade Dubielewicz's first career start and was the last tie game in NHL history before the implementation of the shootout. As we know, “Doobie” would later enter Isles lore in a shootout three years later.
🔗 Calum Ritchie wants to be great. A former Islanders player is helping him get there by Arthur Staple, The Athletic “He’s the X factor for us in terms of dominating games,” said Brad Malone, who retired last spring after a 13-year pro career to become Oshawa’s development coach and took over as the Generals’ head coach in December. “He’s the piece that drives us.”
🔗 Islanders grant Anthony Duclair's request for an indefinite leave of absence by Denis P Gorman, Newsday “Obviously you saw Anthony was not at practice today,” Roy said. “This morning Anthony and I had a very good conversation, a very positive one, and Anthony asked me to take some time off to reflect. Obviously I agreed to that. I will give him all the time that he needs. So that should close the discussion over Anthony.”
And we leave you with this…a rivalry viewing party at Borellis’s Taproom!
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