The elation on Anthony Duclair's face was evident Saturday as the Senators’ winger notched a season-high three points (two goals, one assist) in a 4-2 victory over the Maple Leafs, the team’s second win in two weeks on home ice against Toronto, quieting a large contingent of visiting fans who travelled to Ottawa to attend the game.
“I think the way the Senators play with a lot of speed to make plays, it fits my game perfectly,” Duclair said upon his acquisition by the club February 23 in a pre-trade deadline deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, which included the Senators receiving second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021.
Drawing comparisons to speedy left winger Ryan Dzingel, who the Senators sent to Ohio in that trade, Duclair is fitting in seamlessly with his new team having compiled seven goals and six assists in 17 games.
NHL playoffs: Schedule, standings, odds for 2019 Stanley Cup chase
However, things haven’t always been this rosy. Duclair was the subject of a pre-game tongue-lashing as recently as six weeks ago by his former coach John Tortorella.
“I don’t think he knows how to play. It seems to me he’s like a player that just feels he can get the puck, because he’s tremendously skilled. He can skate. I just think he thinks he can do whatever the hell he wants to on the ice. He can’t do that in the National Hockey League,” the Blue Jackets coach told assembled media. “Here we are on his fourth team with another coach pissing and moaning about him, scratching him, benching him. Somewhere along the line, I think he has to understand, 'I have to be more attentive.' For me right now he’s off the rails. I’m not so sure if we’re going to spend a lot more time trying to get him on the rails.”
Tortorella was also critical of Duclair’s situational play without the puck.
“Sometimes it looks like he’s understanding. I don’t know if he just can’t comprehend it or he’s just stubborn. But he’s running out of time.”
Now playing for his fifth club in five NHL campaigns since being selected 80th overall by the Rangers in the 2013 Entry Draft, there’s little doubt Duclair’s game has come into question by several general managers and head coaches.
Senators’ interim head coach Marc Crawford hinted as much post-game Saturday.
“I wasn’t sure if he was playing left wing or right wing, but he was effective every time he was on the ice,” said Crawford.
Therein lies Senators GM Pierre Dorion’s conundrum; whether to re-sign the pending restricted free agent, who holds arbitration rights, or to non-tender the 2015 World Junior gold medallist who’s two goals shy of matching the 20-goal output achieved in his first full NHL season with the Coyotes in 2015-16.
Dorion’s decision should be a fairly easy one to make. Finding offence isn’t easy for any team. Despite the earlier criticism, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound forward is winding down his second-best season offensively with 18 goals and 14 assists in 70 games. A native of the Montreal area, the rejuvenated Duclair is proving his value in surroundings two hours away from family and friends. And someone has to replace some of the goals lost by the trading away of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Dzingel.
Currently playing for the NHL minimum $650,000, and given his brief history in the league, Duclair shouldn’t demand much of an increase.
When asked about his future by Sporting News on Saturday, Duclair declared he wanted to be part of the Senators' rebuild.
“I’d love to stay here. I’ve made it pretty clear, I want to be part of the solution, moving forward," he said. "I’m still young, only 23 years old. I’ve kind of hit home here and want to continue working hard.”