Patrick Roy and Anthony Duclair Resolve Differences After Public Criticism
Old Westbury, N.Y. – Patrick Roy and Anthony Duclair have smoothed things over this summer, after the legendary goalie and now coach of the New York Islanders harshly criticized the winger’s performance at the end of last season. After a defeat in early April, Roy called Duclair’s game “terrible” and “not up to what we expect from him.” Duclair was absent and did not play another game. Duclair revealed that Roy traveled to his home in Montreal to apologize, and both expressed their desire to move past the situation. Duclair explained that he was still dealing with the effects of a groin injury that kept him out for two months.Roy considered the conversation with Duclair to be “very, very good” and regretted his post-match comments.I told him I didn’t need an apology, I just needed him to know I was playing injured, and he told me he didn’t really know the extent of the injury. I think it was a miscommunication on everyone’s part, including myself. Obviously, he thought I was playing at 100%, which I wasn’t.
Anthony Duclair
Duclair, who turned 30 on August 26, explained that his groin muscle completely tore from the bone last October and did not heal as quickly as expected. After scoring two goals in five games before getting injured, he only managed five goals and four assists in the following 39 games, culminating in Roy criticizing him for not skating and not competing.It’s an emotional game, and sometimes you say things, but the result didn’t do us any good. I feel like it was almost more negative than anything else, and I think Anthony had a lot of confidence in me, and I felt like I let him down a bit.
Patrick Roy
Duclair scored 24 goals in the 2023-24 season for San Jose and Tampa Bay and signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Islanders as an unrestricted free agent. Now, in the second season of that deal and after spending more time rehabilitating, he is working to be fully healthy for opening day.We are in a performance sport, and we have expectations. And I’m sure Anthony has his own, but that’s already behind us, and I want to move forward to this year and I really hope Anthony starts as he did because he had a very good start. When he returned from his injury, it was a bit more difficult for him for some reasons. But I want him to be who he was before he got injured.
Patrick Roy
Roy anticipates that Duclair will start camp on the third line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom.My focus is on Game 1 of the regular season and being ready for that. I’m going to take all the time I need during training camp, the preseason, whatever.
Anthony Duclair
