The Florida Panthers’ offseason plans might be a lot different than the franchise originally envisioned. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Florida’s All-Star forward Anthony Duclair suffered an ACL injury while training and is most likely heading towards a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Duclair was a big part of the Panthers’ run in 2021-22 that saw them finish with an NHL-best regular-season record of 58-18-6. The 26-year-old had career-highs across the board, scoring 31 goals and adding 27 assists for a total of 58 points in 74 games.
The reports about the severity of Duclair’s injury vary, but it appears that he is dealing with an ACL tear. In this case, Duclair would have to undergo surgery that would keep him out of action for the better part of, or possibly the entire, 2022-23 NHL season.
Anthony Duclair played for six different franchises since making his NHL debut in 2014–15 with the New York Rangers. After initially struggling to make an impact in the league, Duclair had his breakthrough in the 2019-20 season. Playing for the Ottawa Senators, he had 40 points (23 goals and 17 assists) and earned an All-Star nod.
Despite his success, the Senators decided not to give him a new offer after the season, and Duclair became a free agent. Quebec native ended up landing with the Florida Panthers, and it proved to be match made in heaven. In 117 games he played for the Panthers in the past two seasons, Duclair scored 41 goals and added 49 assists for a total of 90 points.
