It was a hectic opening few hours across the hockey world, with extensions and trades involving the league’s top stars. For the first time in a while, the New York Islanders were active at the opening of free agency, signing free agent forward Anthony Duclair. He was signed to a four-year contract worth $3.5 million annually. Defenseman Mike Reilly was also brought back on a one-year deal worth $1.25 million. Islanders fans have reached the consensus belief that general manager Lou Lamoriello made a fantastic decision on both signings.
Duclair’s Spot in the Lineup
Islanders fans were hoping to land Duclair at the 2024 Trade Deadline before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a third-round pick and a prospect. He finished the 2023-24 season with 24 goals and 42 points in 73 games split between Tampa Bay and the San Jose Sharks. He scored eight goals and seven assists in 17 games in Tampa Bay, primarily alongside Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. With the Lightning’s addition of Jake Guentzel, Duclair lost his spot in the lineup.
Related: Islanders Re-Sign Mike Reilly to 1-Year Deal
While the Islanders do not have Point and Kucherov, they do have Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat, and that is where Duclair will play. He is a speedy winger who creates a lot of scoring chances from around the net. He is left-handed, perfect for the Islanders’ first line that has Horvat, left-handed, at center and Barzal, right-handed, on the right wing. He will be filling Anders Lee’s spot on the first line, an area of weakness from last season.
The main difference between Duclair and Lee is his speed. Lee, 33, could not keep up with Barzal and Horvat last season and it showed. He was slow on the rush and was unable to capitalize on his scoring chances around the net. Duclair is the opposite as he still has his speed at 28 years old and knows how to capitalize on his scoring chances.
Duclair is also going to see time on the Islanders’ power play, whether it is the first or second unit will be determined when the season begins. Both Lee and Duclair had five power-play goals last season, so it will be up to the coaching staff to see who fills the third forward spot. It would make sense to see Duclair on the primary unit given he will be playing even strength with Horvat and Barzal, but Lee’s impressive track record on the power play could give him the spot. We are a few months out from the 2024-25 season so a lot of decisions are yet to be made, but this is a question the Islanders are lucky to face.
Duclair’s Long-Term Fit
What makes this deal so refreshing is both the Islanders and Duclair benefit from the deal. The Islanders will be Duclair’s ninth team in 11 years. Assuming he plays out all four years of his contract, it will also be the only time in his career he spends more than three seasons on a single team.
For the Islanders, they land their first-line, left wing on a contract with a team-friendly average annual value without providing too much term. The contract keeps Duclair on Long Island through the duration of his prime but no more, having him hit free agency once again at 32 years old. This is a stark contrast to previous deals signed by Lamoriello that typically commit core players to the Islanders for six, seven, or eight seasons.
Duclair’s contract also aligns well with the Islanders’ top prospects. The team’s 2024 first-round pick Cole Eiserman is a few seasons away from reaching the NHL, allowing the Islanders to ease him into an NHL role once ready. If Eiserman spends two seasons at Boston University before turning professional, the Islanders will be able to sign him to play behind Duclair for a season before potentially promoting him to the top line in Duclair’s final season under contract.
The Islanders also have prospects Alex Jefferies, Matthew Maggio, and William Dufour who have all been granted additional time to develop due to Duclair’s signing. While the Islanders were unlikely to see any of the three prospects to begin this coming season in the NHL, they now have the confidence knowing there is a bonafide NHLer in the top six. This signing also adjusts the Islanders’ depth chart, making forwards Lee and Pierre Engvall potentially go from underwhelming first-liners to strong middle-six wingers.
Islanders Lucky to Avoid Expensive Deals
It also must be understood it was not in the Islanders’ best interest to sign a free agent to a long-term or expensive deal. Players like Chandler Stephenson, Elias Lindholm, Jake DeBrusk, and Tyler Toffoli signed big-money deals, but they would have been unlikely to contribute any more to the Islanders than Duclair will. Duclair is not only on a team-friendly deal, but he makes sense as a signing. His role is clear and he has sustained success everywhere he has played, regardless of his linemates’ caliber. He is a great fit in the Islanders system and fans should be thrilled.
Islanders fans have not had much to be excited about since the team’s loss in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Final. Drafts have been boring and free agency has been uneventful. While additional moves still need to be made, the team’s recent moves are promising, and the 2024-25 season could prove to be a good one.
