ELMONT, NY — Goals and Anthony Duclair have not necessarily been synonymous since the veteran left winger signed a four-year contract to join the Islanders last summer.
He had seven goals in his New York debut last season, which ended early because of a groin injury, then had just four in his first 39 games of 2025-26, which included healthy scratches in each of the Islanders’ two previous games on Jan. 1 and Jan. 3.
At least for one night, that all changed.
The 30-year-old left winger recorded a natural hat trick across the first 23:39 of Tuesday night’s 9-0 beatdown of the New Jersey Devils, tied for the largest margin of victory in Islanders franchise history. With two assists in the third period, he posted his first-career five-point night and became the first Islander since Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier in 1983 to record a plus-6 rating in a single game.
“It’s huge. I’m very grateful,” Duclair said. “I’m very thankful for all the fans that threw their hats, too. It was my mom’s last day [visiting] on Long Island. I wanted to play well for her, and I’m glad that she got to witness that.”
As Duclair continued his postgame availability at his locker while wearing a hat adorned with a congratulatory message from the Islanders’ admin team, star forward Mathew Barzal jovially quipped that Duclair “never wears a hat, but he has one on tonight.”
An accessory well-earned.
“Dukey deserved tonight,” Barzal said. “He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face. He’s laughing, having a good time. The last couple of games he wasn’t in, he was working on his game after practice. He’s just a pro, day in and day out. I’m happy tonight.”
Brazal, who had a goal and two assists in the monster win, provided the primary assist on Duclair’s third goal — a cross-ice pass to the right circle that was one-timed home 3:29 into the second period to make it a 4-0 game.
“I was definitely [trying to get the puck to him there],” Barzal said. “Dukey’s my boy. I wanted to give him a chance at least.”
His two first-period goals came from nearly identical spots in the left circle coming down the wing on a rush. He kept it himself on a 3-on-1 and fired a wrister under the glove of Jacob Markstrom, then sniped one bar down on a semi-breakaway.
“I’m happy for him,” head coach Patrick Roy said. “I know it was hard for him to be out these last couple games, so I’m happy to see how he bounced back. I always thought he had a great shot, but tonight he showed it.
Tuesday night’s outburst was the first time that Duclair looked like the legitimate top-line winger that he was billed to be when he joined the Islanders, though he did his damage on the fourth line next to Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean. Just one night of work has accounted for roughly 21.5% of all of the goals he has scored with New York across 84 games.
Now, if he can build on it and help replace some of the scoring that was lost when Kyle Palmieri went down with a season-ending injury in late November, the Islanders will like their chances of continuing to push for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.
“I want to be my best every single day. This could be a good start to things,” Duclair said. “Going into the year 2026, I want more for myself individually and bring more to the table for the Islanders. I’m glad I’m off to a good start, and I just want to keep the momentum going.”
