George Richards, FHN Publisher
Anthony Duclair has been around the NHL enough to know he had it pretty good with the Florida Panthers.
Only 25-years-old, Duclair had already played for five teams when he landed with the Panthers just before the 2021 season was set to open.
It was a “prove-it” contract — a one-year pact to see how things would work out.
Duclair, who scored 23 goals and earned his first All-Star appearance the season before with Ottawa, was obviously looking for a better deal than what he settled on with the Panthers after the Senators decided not to make him a qualifying offer and allowing him to hit the open market.
Bill Zito and Duclair got to know each other a little bit in the short time Duclair played for the Columbus Blue Jackets. When Duclair became a free agent last year, he and Zito talked. A lot.
Duclair had let his agent go and was representing himself. He wanted to hear firsthand what teams thought of him as he went through the negotiating process.
Some of those conversations with the new GM of the Panthers had nothing to do with hockey. The two seemed to get along quite well and, eventually came to an agreement on the one-year contract.
Although Duclair did not match the kind of numbers he put up his final season in Ottawa, his production was in many cases better.
He was strong on defense, was a great fit with Sasha Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe on the top line and, when coach Joel Quenneville decided to mix things up, still performed at a high level on lower lines.
It looked like Duclair had found a nice landing spot with the Panthers. The team appeared, from the outside, to have formed a pretty close bond over the past season.
Duclair was right in the middle of it.
On Thursday, he (as well as defenseman Gus Forsling) signed a three-year contract extension with the Panthers.
“I am m very happy to be back,” Duclair said Friday afternoon.
“To be back another three years is just awesome. I have worked very hard for this. For the organization to give me the chance to come back for another three years is an honor. I’m definitely not going to take it for granted. … This is a special day not only for myself, but for my whole family.”
It looks like both sides showed a little something last year.
Duclair was a big part of Florida’s success and it was apparent from the start this could turn into a long-term relationship.
“We’re a tight group here, we all stay in touch,’’ Duclair said. “It doesn’t matter where guys go when they go home, we’ve got good camaraderie, good chemistry.”
Duclair is spending this offseason in Fort Lauderdale and is skating with other members of the team in Coral Springs getting ready for the upcoming season.
Due to the scheduling quirks of the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, this offseason will not be as long as others.
The Panthers are about two months away from opening up training camp.
Duclair says the Panthers are ready to improve upon what was a pretty successful 2021 campaign.
They are ready to get back to work and do a little better than they did last season.
“We’ve got a couple young veterans, a lot of good prospects on the way, and a lot of good young guys in our lineup making a significant impact,” Duclair said.
“Add that with the veterans and leadership guys we already have and it is such a great mix. I think that’s why we surprised a lot of people last year with our performance during the regular season.
“It can only go up from there. I’m really excited to come back with this group and keep moving forward.”