OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – Patrick Roy and Anthony Duclair have settled their differences this summer, after the legendary goalie and now coach of the New York Islanders publicly criticized the winger’s performance towards 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 took a leave and did not play again. Duclair revealed that Roy traveled to his home in Montreal during the summer to apologize, and both expressed their desire to leave the uncomfortable situation behind. Duclair explained that he was still dealing with the effects of a groin injury that kept him out of action for two months.
Roy considered that the conversation with Duclair was “really, really 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,” Duclair said Monday at the Islanders’ annual charity golf tournament. “I think it was just a miscommunication on everyone’s part, including myself. Obviously, he thought I was playing at 100%, which I wasn’t.
Anthony Duclair
It’s an emotional game, and sometimes you say things, but the result didn’t do us any good,” Roy said. “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 little bit there.
Patrick RoyDuclair, who turned 30 on August 26, stated that his groin muscle completely tore from the bone last October and did not heal as quickly as expected. After two goals in five games before the injury, he only scored five goals and four assists in the following 39 games, culminating in Roy’s criticism for not skating and not competing.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. Heading into the second season of that deal and after spending more time rehabilitating, he is working to finally 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 it’s already in the past, 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,” Roy said. “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 RoyRoy expects Duclair to start training camp on the third line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom.“My goal is the first game of the regular season and to be ready for that,” Duclair said. “I’m going to take all the time I need during training camp, the preseason, whatever it takes.”
Anthony Duclair
