Anthony Duclair makes interesting 1st impression with Blackhawks
- by Rene Duval
- in Sport
- — Jan 13, 2018
The Blackhawks shipped forwards and to the Coyotes for Duclair and defenseman.
When Duclair was a healthy scratch in five of six games, and seven of nine from October 30 to November 14, however, Hughes saw warning signs. His talent always has been undeniable - a third-round pick of the Rangers in 2013, he posted 20 goals and 24 assists in his first full National Hockey League season, with the Coyotes. Duclair was originally drafted 80th overall by the in 2013.
"I think it's going to be huge for me", Duclair said. "Some of them are readily apparent". "They play with a lot of speed and skill, and I think that fits in to my strengths. There's some things that I think can stay behind closed doors". It was a long process. "I think he needed a new scene and a bit of a change".
"It's gone back for a few years now where the team wasn't particularly happy with the player and the player wasn't particularly happy with the team and we worked through some things, tried a lot of different approaches in a lot of different ways", Chayka added. "I'm sure John felt the same way and we're hopeful it works out for both sides".
Arizona Coyotes left wing Anthony Duclair (10) shoots against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, in Las Vegas. He can only hope it ends better than it did for him in Arizona - or for the guy for whom he was traded. But he has struggled to live up to that potential in the two seasons since, with just 14 goals in 91 games. "It dragged on for a while, but (I'm) happy to be here". There's no training camp to learn the intricate details of a team's system, no preseason games to build chemistry with your linemates, no time to learn all the nooks and crannies and training rooms of a new building.
"Richard Panik is a big, skilled winger who is an excellent goal scorer", Chayka said. "He will be a nice addition to our forward group".
Connor Murphy and Anthony Duclair were close friends during their time together in Arizona, so once Duclair's flight from Mexico landed on Wednesday night - "My phone just blew up", Duclair said - and he had made the requisite phone calls to Stan Bowman and his agent, he gave Murphy a ring.
"From our perspective, it wasn't working and we were concerned that it wasn't going to work", Hughes said. "He's a good skater and a reliable player with a lot of upside. Every game counts. It's going to be fun to play in". Since then, he has played for five different National Hockey League teams.
