Lou Lamoriello finally did it. The New York Islanders general manager (GM) signed a player in free agency and for all intents and purposes, he made a splash in the offseason arguably for the first time in his tenure with the team. The big move was signing veteran forward Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract with a $3.5 million average annual value (AAV).
Related: New York Islanders Sign Anthony Duclair to 4-Year Deal
This was a much-needed move for the Islanders and Lamoriello. The team had a low ceiling and all the pressure was on him to change things up. They needed a player like Duclair and the long-time executive went out and signed him. Suddenly, the outlook for both the rest of the offseason and next season changes, especially if he is willing to be aggressive, something the fans least expect considering his history.
After Years of Silence, Lamoriello Finally Makes His Move
This move felt like a long time coming. Every offseason, the Islanders and the fanbase particularly, anticipate a big move to take a good team and put it over the top. Under Lamoriello, the summer is often quiet. Instead of bringing in players from outside the organization, he hands out extensions to the players on the roster and signals confidence in the group.
It seems odd that Duclair is the player that Lamoriello chooses to sign after years of passing on elite talent. However, he checks off a lot of boxes for Lamoriello. He’s a veteran with 39 playoff games under his belt who can make an impact in all three zones. Lastly, Duclair is a scorer and the GM loves to add scoring to the lineup. Better yet, despite being in the league for a while, he is only 28 years old and will be 29 when the season starts, so despite plenty of experience, he’s still in his prime, and the four-year deal won’t leave the team with a liability in a few seasons.
The feeling after the 2022 offseason was disappointing since both Johnny Gaudreau and Nazem Kadri were available and the Islanders came away empty-handed. The 2023 offseason felt confusing as Lamoriello not only re-signed key players on the roster but gave out long-term deals to multiple players with contracts that were sure to age poorly (case in point, Scott Mayfield’s deal). This summer is different. Lamoriello has given the fanbase something to look forward to with Duclair now on the roster.
What Duclair Brings to the Islanders
Duclair’s 10-year career, where he’s played on eight teams (making him an immaculate grid favorite), suggests he’s a well-rounded forward. He’s scored 146 goals and 157 assists in 563 games proving that he isn’t a star-caliber player but can consistently create scoring chances and find the back of the net from the left wing. The Islanders need a well-rounded player like Duclair in their lineup as they lack versatility and fail to adapt, especially in the playoffs.
At this point in his career, Duclair is no longer a well-rounded player. He is a scorer first and a playmaker second. He scored 31 goals in the 2021-22 season with the Florida Panthers and after his 2022-23 season was cut short with an injury, he bounced back and scored 24 goals with the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning.
His production with the Sharks was all the more impressive and proved that he can still play at a high level even without much talent around him. He scored 16 goals on a team that finished the season with the worst record in the NHL and had little to no reliable contributors in the forward unit. Give him some help and Duclair becomes a great player in the offensive zone. That’s what the Islanders are giving him.
With a burst and quick shot on the wing, Duclair will add a scoring touch to the top six and likely benefit from Mathew Barzal’s passing and playmaking ability. The Islanders needed this boost to their top-six and now, they have two dynamic forward lines that can carry the offense.
What’s Next for Lamoriello?
The Islanders still have the ability and salary cap space to make another move. They might not make a splash but adding a depth forward who can round out the offense is on the table. That said, Lamoriello’s already shown a willingness to be active this offseason, and another big move could be in store, especially if he trades a player on the roster to open up more cap space.
Otherwise, the most likely outcome in the coming days will be an extension. The Islanders have Brock Nelson, Noah Dobson, and Alexander Romanov all playing this season on expiring contracts, and with the extra cap space, Lamoriello would like to keep at least one, if not all three, around for the long run.
What do you think Lamoriello might do next following the Duclair signing? Let us know in the comments section below!
