NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2025

by | Sep 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 26, 2025

Stars captain Jamie Benn undergoes surgery, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov injured at practice, Mitch Marner makes his preseason debut with the Golden Knights, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn will undergo surgery for a collapsed lung suffered during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Minnesota Wild.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images).

Stars general manager Jim Nill said Benn didn’t feel well after taking a hit late in the third period. The 36-year-old forward was x-rayed at the arena, where a hole was found in his lung. He went to Parkland Hospital for observation, where the decision was made that he should undergo surgery.

Benn is expected to make a full recovery and will be reevaluated in four weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Benn was initially listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury following that game against the Wild. The earliest he could return to action is in late October.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had to be helped from the ice during the club’s first main preseason practice with their regular squad on Thursday.

Barkov appeared to be favoring his right leg. Head coach Paul Maurice didn’t provide much of an update on the 30-year-old center, saying he’ll give an update on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov won the Frank J. Selke Trophy last season as the league’s top defensive forward for the second straight year and the third time since 2020-21. It will be a big loss for the Panthers if he misses significant time, especially with winger Matthew Tkachuk out until January recovering from offseason surgeries and center Tomas Nosek sidelined by a knee injury.

RDS.CA: Mitch Marner made his preseason debut with the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. He collected an assist on one of Jack Eichel’s two goals in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Utah Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner was the biggest name to be moved during the offseason. He was shipped to the Golden Knights by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Montreal Canadiens defensemen Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, and David Reinbacher left Thursday’s 7-2 preseason loss to the Maple Leafs.

Dobson and Guhle are listed as day-to-day with groin injuries, while Reinbacher was still being evaluated following the game. Dobson and Reinbacher suffered their injuries during the game, while Guhle was withheld from the contest for maintenance reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said he didn’t think that the injuries were serious and wasn’t too worried about it.

NEW YORK POST: An upper-body injury kept Islanders winger Anthony Duclair out of the lineup as his club defeated the New York Rangers 5-4 in preseason action on Thursday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair rushed back too soon from a groin injury last season, which affected his performance. They’re taking a more cautious approach this season.

SPORTSNET: The Utah Mammoth placed goaltender Connor Ingram on waivers Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Followers of the Edmonton Oilers are stumping for their club to claim Ingram to bolster their goaltending depth. However, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal pointed out that one of the clubs ahead of the Oilers in the waiver claim order will likely get him first. Staples also pointed out that the Oilers lack the cap space to pick up Ingram’s $1.95 million cap hit.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins have brought back former captain Zdeno Chara in a front office role. They announced on Thursday that he will serve as their Hockey Operations Advisor and Mentor.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders will induct former forward Pat LaFontaine into their Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony on Dec. 13. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates that this will end a long-standing rift between LaFontaine and the organization, dating back to a contract dispute in 1991-92. In 2006, he was brought in as an advisor to then-owner Charles Wang, but resigned six weeks later after Neil Smith was fired as general manager.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus reports the return of Carter Hart and Michael McLeod to the NHL seems imminent. Both were among five former Hockey Canada members who were acquitted of sexual assault charges earlier this month.

Both players have been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights. Lazerus reports the two teams handled questions about them differently.

According to Lazerus, the Hurricanes “acknowledged the gravity of the situation and were open to talking about it, even in somewhat awkward hypotheticals.” However, the Golden Knights declined to let head coach Bruce Cassidy speak to The Athletic one-on-one after learning of the topic. Before Cassidy’s press conference, a spokesperson pulled the reporter from the room, told them to leave the facility immediately, and revoked their press pass for that night’s game.

The spokesperson claimed the reporter “ambushed” Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin during routine locker-room media interviews that morning, and the team wasn’t comfortable allowing the reporter to cover the game. Lazerus claimed that Hanifin showed no irritation about the questions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Golden Knights aren’t comfortable with a reporter asking questions about rumors linking them to a controversial player, how will they react if they sign that player?










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2025

by | Sep 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2025

Sidney Crosby addresses trade and “tanking” talk, the latest Islanders and Canadiens news, Drew Doughty hopes to play for Canada in the 2026 Olympics, remembering Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby directly addressed recent speculation suggesting he might welcome a trade out of Pittsburgh.

“This is where I want to be. I love it here,” Crosby said. “I can’t keep having to answer the same questions over again (just) because of these narratives. If people want to write about that or say that, that’s fine. I can’t really control that.”

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Crosby also dismissed the notion that the Penguins should tank the season to improve their chances of winning the 2026 Draft Lottery. “You play to win,” he said. “That’s how I view it, and you’re not going to convince me otherwise. If you’re one of the people that believe that, then you’re entitled to believe that, but that’s not why I signed up to play the game. That’s not the game I know.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade buzz about Crosby arose from a comment made last week by his agent, Pat Brisson, acknowledging the possibility of his client asking for a trade one day. Some observers took his comments to mean that Crosby wouldn’t want to stick around if the rebuilding Penguins continue to miss the playoffs.

Crosby is in the first season of a two-year contract. He could decide at some point that he wants one last shot at playing for the Stanley Cup and could request a trade to a contender. However, it doesn’t sound like he’s currently considering that possibility.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: The impending return of former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for a preseason practice on Sept. 26 and a preseason game on Sept. 27 has led to a surge in ticket prices for both events.

Prices for Penguins preseason games are typically between $20 and $25. For the Fleury game, the prices range from $235.00 to $2,975.00 on Ticketmaster.

Fleury formally retired after last season, but his return for those two events will allow him to retire as a Penguin.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said he is good to go entering training camp after missing the end of last season with a kneecap injury. He indicated that it has fully healed, and now it’s a matter of getting back to being the player he was mentally.

CBS SPORTS: Barzal’s teammate, Bo Horvat, will be ready for the upcoming start of training camp. He had suffered an ankle injury playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May, but has indicated he’s feeling great and is ready for the start of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair revealed he tore his groin muscle right off the bone five games into last season, which sidelined him until late December, but he admitted he returned too soon.

The injury hampered Duclair’s performance, prompting head coach Patrick Roy to publicly criticize his play as “god awful” following a loss to Tampa Bay in early April, prompting Duclair to take a season-ending leave of absence.

Duclair said Roy personally visited him following the season to apologize for his comments, and they worked things out.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson walked back his father’s comments regarding his son being passed over for Team USA’s Olympic orientation camp.

Rob Hutson raised the possibility of Lane, who has dual citizenship, playing for Canada. However, Lane shot that down, saying he’s a proud American and loves USA Hockey. While he loves playing in Canada, he stated that he’s a USA Hockey Player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson could still be selected for Team USA’s final Olympic roster. Otherwise, he’ll get more opportunities to play for his country in the World Championships, the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2030 Winter Olympics.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jeff Gorton, the Executive VP of Hockey Operations for the Canadiens, said Kirby Dach has made good progress in his recovery from a season-ending knee injury.

“He looks great,” Gorton said. “He feels great, he’s healthy. We have a plan in place to have him ready for opening night. So, that’s what we’re going to try to do.” However, he stopped short of guaranteeing that the 24-year-old center will be ready to go by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Back-to-back knee injuries have hampered Dach’s efforts to secure the Canadiens’ second-line center role.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of Gorton, the Canadiens are in contract extension talks with him and general manager Kent Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s not a surprise considering the pace of the Canadiens’ rebuild. The club wants to ensure both men stick around to complete the job.

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty remains determined to secure a place on Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“I expect to be on the team,” Doughty said. “I know it’s going to be hard for me to make it, but personally I expect to be on that team. I do think making the best team in the world at 36 years old is quite an accomplishment. That would be amazing. I’ve honestly been thinking about this way too much and it’s still so far away.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty won gold with Canada in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, and he was part of their gold-medal team in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

NEW YORK POST: Hall of Fame goaltender Ed Giacomin passed away on Sunday at age 86.

Giacomin spent most of his 13 NHL seasons with the New York Rangers (1965-66 to 1975-76), becoming one of the league’s top goaltenders. A fan favorite in New York and a skillful puckhandler, he was a First Team All-Star in 1966-67 and 1970-71, and shared the Vezina Trophy with teammate Gilles Villemure in 1970-71. He and Villemure backstopped the Rangers to the 1972 Stanley Cup Final.

Claimed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 31, 1975, Giacomin got the start for the Wings against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden two days later, where the Rangers fans chanted his name throughout the game, moving him to tears.

Giacomin played with the Red Wings from 1975-76 to 1977-78 before retiring. He had a career record of 290 wins, 209 losses, and 96 ties in 690 regular-season games with a 2.82 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage, and 54 shutouts. Giacomin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Giacomin’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Rangers organization. I remember watching him play during the early-70s and was impressed by his acrobatic style and his ability to handle the puck. He played a big role in turning the Rangers into a Stanley Cup contender during those years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2025

by | Sep 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2025

The latest on Bruins center Elias Lindholm, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, Canadiens blueliner Mike Matheson, and more in this Labor Day edition of the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Elias Lindholm is determined to have a bounce-back performance following his disappointing 2024-25 performance with the Boston Bruins.

Lindholm signed with the Bruins last summer, but managed only 17 goals and 47 points as they missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The 30-year-old center blamed his poor start to a nagging back injury, which kept him out of training camp and hampered his performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy season could enable Lindholm to regain his solid two-way game. Improvement on his part could also help the Bruins stay in the hunt for a playoff berth this season.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him from last spring’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, taking his place last week with the other 44 invitees to Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in Calgary.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (NHL Images).

Morrissey, 30, indicated that the injury wasn’t too severe. He’d also dealt with a similar injury to his other knee during the 2023 playoffs, so he already had a template on how to rehab and recover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Morrissey played a key role in the Jets winning their first Presidents’ Trophy last season. The puck-moving blueliner was also part of Canada’s gold-medal team at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, potentially giving him an inside track to secure a spot on Canada’s Olympic team.

RDS.CA: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson and New York Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin are among five players whose jerseys will be retired by the Lac St-Louis Lions of the Quebec U18 AAA Development League on Sept. 5.

Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn, Islanders forward Anthony Duclair, and former San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic will also have their jerseys retired.

The five have each played at least 600 NHL games. Matheson, Drouin, and Duclair were teammates in 2010-11 with the Lions.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Jimmy Snuggerud is expected to be one of the young building blocks for the Blues.

The 21-year-old winger joined the club late last season, averaging 15:28 of regular-season ice time and finishing with four points in seven games.

In the playoffs, he logged over 17 minutes of ice time per game with two goals and two assists in seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Snuggerud is one of the notable rookies worth watching this season. A strong performance on his part will improve the Blues’ chance of securing a playoff spot. It could also make him a contender for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski recently listed the best NHL draft pick ever at every slot from No. 1 to 224.

Wyshynski had Pittsburgh Penguins great Mario Lemieux at No. 1, but acknowledged a trio of generational players (Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Sidney Crosby of the Penguins, and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers) complicates the debate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lemieux remains the greatest first-overall pick of all time, but like Wyshynski, I acknowledge that a case can be made for the other three. Feel free to weigh in on that topic in the comments section below.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2025

by | Jul 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2025

The Hurricanes land former Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, the Sharks add defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Nick Leddy, the notable remaining UFAs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NOTABLE UFA SIGNING NEWS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes landed the last remaining star in the NHL unrestricted free-agent market (UFA), signing winger Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed former Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my reaction to this among my live grades of this summer’s top UFA signings at Bleacher Report.

Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was happy to add Ehlers among his top-six forwards. The cap hit is a little high, but the term isn’t bad, and it doesn’t bust their budget. With over $10.6 million in cap space, the Hurricanes will have plenty of room for other additions before the March 2026 trade deadline.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed UFA defensemen Dmitry Orlov and claimed blueliner Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. Orlov got a two-year deal with an AAV of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Orlov replaced long-time defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, whom the Sharks bought out last month. He’ll be a short-term upgrade over Vlasic, whose performance declined in recent years.

Leddy became the odd man out on the Blues’ defense corps. The writing was on the wall following their acquisition of young blueliner Logan Mailloux earlier this week. Leddy is in the final season of his contract with an AAV of $4 million.

Both defensemen will provide significant experience to the rebuilding Sharks’ blueline. Their combined AAV of $10.5 million also helped the club reach the salary-cap minimum of $70.6 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed winger Anthony Beauvillier to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.75 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Center Jack Roslovic, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and winger Max Pacioretty and Jeff Skinner are among the notables remaining in this year’s UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve quickly reached the bargain bin level of this summer’s UFA market. Some decent depth talent remains, but it’ll take several weeks (or most of the offseason) before they end up signing cost-effective short-term deals.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy regrets the disparaging remarks he made about the performance of struggling winger Anthony Duclair in April. He intends to apologize to the 29-year-old winger directly. Duclair took a leave of absence from the Islanders over the incident.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Islanders, former KHL star Maxim Shabanov revealed the reasons why he chose to sign with them over other clubs earlier this week. He prioritized his role, potential linemates, and power-play systems.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach has resumed skating. The 24-year-old center played 57 games last season before undergoing surgery on his right knee in February for the second straight year. He is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery and is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

KSL SPORTS: The Utah Mammoth has opened contract extension talks with young star Logan Cooley. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract. Meanwhile, contract talks continue with restricted free agent (RFA) Jack McBain.

SPORTSNET: Rogers Communications Inc. has become the majority owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2025

by | Jun 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2025

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, an update on Anthony Duclair, results from the Draft Combine, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a game-time decision for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday in Florida. The question of his health came up after he skipped practice on Sunday. Head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t specify what might be ailing Nugent-Hopkins.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It could be the same illness that affected teammate Connor Brown on the eve of Game 1. Like Nugent-Hopkins, he was a game-time decision, but suited up for that match and Game 2.

TSN: The Oilers shuffled up their defense pairings during their Sunday practice. Darnell Nurse was moved up to the first pairing alongside Evan Bouchard. Mattias Ekholm was dropped to the second pairing with John Klingberg, who was elevated from the third pairing. Jake Walman will play on the third pairing with Brett Kulak, who was on the second pairing with Nurse in Game 2.

Speaking of defensemen, Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers participated in the club’s optional skate on Sunday. He took a shot off his left hand by Nurse during the second overtime in Game 2.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are getting lots of production from their blueline. Florida defenseman has produced a franchise-record 17 goals in his postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seth Jones leads all Panthers blueliners with four goals, followed by Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Ekblad with three each. Dmitry Kulikov has tallied twice, and Gustav Forsling and Uvis Balinskis with a goal apiece.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche is hopeful that head coach Patrick Roy and winger Anthony Duclair have put their issues behind them.

Duclair took a leave of absence for the final eight games of the regular season following a public clash with Roy. Darche said he has a “bit of a relationship” with Duclair, saying the 29-year-old winger was in a good mood when he spoke with him, adding he’ll sit down with Duclair again soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair joined the Islanders last summer as a free agent, signing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million and a full no-trade clause for the first two seasons. A promising start last season was derailed by a leg injury, limiting him to 11 points in 44 games.

Roy ripped Duclair following a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Apr. 1, calling his performance “god awful” and criticizing his overall effort. That led to the winger’s leave of absence and questions about his future with the Islanders.

SPORTSNET: The results from the fitness testing held at the 2025 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo were released on Saturday. 

Center Anton Frondell of Djurgardens IF in Sweden and forward Cole Reschny of the University of North Dakota tied for the best VO2 max (64.7). Winger Cameron Schmidt of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants had the best bench press (7.82 watts/kg), forward Milton Gastrin of MoDo Hockey in Sweden topped the agility test to the left side, and Bill Zonnon of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada did the most consecutive pull-ups. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I singled out those four because they’re among the prospects expected to be chosen in the first round of this year’s draft, which will be held in Los Angeles on June 27-28. Doing well in the combine can be a determining factor in the selection process, but it’s not a definitive measure of whether a prospect will become an NHL star.

During the 2014 Draft Combine, Sam Bennett failed to perform a single pull-up. Nevertheless, he was chosen fourth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 Draft and went on to stardom with the Florida Panthers.  

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs jersey worn by Hall-of-Famer Darryl Sittler during his record-setting 10-point game against the Boston Bruins in 1976 sold at auction for over $143 K.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

Will there be more offer-sheet attempts this summer? Could the Devils be among the clubs targeting other clubs’ RFAs? What’s the latest on the Islanders? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THERE BE MORE OFFER-SHEET ATTEMPTS THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report some NHL executives and general managers bracing for “a summer of offer sheets” during the 2025 offseason.

They cite the rising salary cap, the St. Louis Blues’ bold signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers last summer, and the lack of quality depth among this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

According to PuckPedia, 88 of 95 potential restricted free agents are eligible to sign offer sheets. They include Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller and forward Will Cullye, New York Islanders blueliners Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka and defenseman Bowen Byram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of those players could be targeted for offer sheets this summer. However, Russo and Johnston also cited several general managers pointing out that the rising cap can make it easier for clubs to match if one of their players signs an offer sheet.

Johnston recently suggested that mid-tier or emerging talent is more vulnerable than established stars. That’s because contending teams want to avoid overpaying those players. Johnston cited Holloway and Broberg as notable examples.

COULD THE DEVILS GO THE OFFER-SHEET ROUTE THIS SUMMER?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Citing The Athletic report on the potential for a rise in offer sheets this summer, James Nichols pondered the possibility for the Devils.

In The Athletic piece, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald seemed to suggest he could be interested in going that route if the opportunity arose.

Nichols believes the Devils need to bolster their forward depth. He suggested Ottawa Senators (and former Devil) winger Fabian Zetterlund, Seattle Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko, and Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi as possible options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils might not have the cap room to sign a rival player to an offer sheet. They have a projected $13.8 million available for 2025-26 with 18 active roster players under contract. Rising star Luke Hughes is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. Re-signing him could eat roughly half of that cap room.

THE LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple believes the harsh public criticism New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy levied on struggling winger Anthony Duclair is a sign of worsening times for the club.

Duclair signed with the Islanders last summer. He played with Roy in the QMJHL so he knew what he was getting into. He started the season well but was sidelined for 29 games by a torn groin and hasn’t been the same since.

Staple believes Duclair will be staying because he has three years left on his contract. Roy has a multi-year extension and isn’t leaving unless he wants to. General manager Lou Lamoriello is likely sticking around for at least one more year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair has been granted a leave of absence to reflect following what Roy called a “good conversation” between the two on Thursday morning. Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see if this incident has any effect on the club’s offseason plans.