Islanders Lose Top Forward to Injury

The New York Islanders lost one of their top forwards to an injury against the Montreal Canadiens.

Oct 10, 2024; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders left wing Anthony Duclair (11) skates with the puck against Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11) during overtime at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders are one of the most underrated teams in the NHL. Despite not having a superstar player like some of their divisional foes in New Jersey or Washington, the team's managed to make the postseason in three of the last four seasons.

The Islanders didn't have a splashy summer after a first-round exit in 2024. Their headline move came when they signed Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract. The veteran of 568 NHL games was a meaningful addition to the team's top six, which was in search of consistent scoring. Adding a four time 20+ goal scorer seemed like the perfect move to help head coach Patrick Roy guide his team to another playoff appearance.

The one thing that will prohibit Duclair from helping the Islanders is injury, somethinb he's dealt with throughout his career. Unfortunately for the 29-year-old winger, it took just five games for him to deal with his first injury with his new team.

During the Islanders' contest against the Montreal Canadiens, Duclair took a spill on the ice while trying to create a scoring opportunity. After falling to the ice, he appeared in pain and needed assistance leaving the ice. He would not return to finish the game. It was a difficult play to identify what exactly caused the injury, but it was clear from the play that his lower-body was affected.

Following the conclusion of the game, Roy had no update regarding Duclair's injury. While the team certainly hopes it is a short-term issue, there's no clear answers at the moment.

If Duclair misses a significant amount of time, the Islanders will have some serious trouble replacing him. They don't have any in-house options that are proven top-six players. First-year winger Maxim Tsyplakov, as well as captain Anders Lee, and 23-year-old Simon Holmstrom will all see an increase in ice-time. The Isles have talented players to fill in their lineup, but none of them have the skillset and production history Duclair has.

Without him, the onus shifts to star goalie Ilya Sorokin. He missed the season opener recovering from his own injuries, but he's been stellar since returning. As the Islanders try to adjust to a lineup without one of their top forwards, their All-Star puck-stopper will have to shoulder the burden for his team.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Predators Fall Flat After Big Offseason
• Penguins Must Embrace Three Goalie Rotation
• Avalanche Welcome New Faces to Practice
• Blue Jackets Get Brutal Update on Star Forward's Injury
• Devils Defense Nearing Full Health