Intriguing New York Islanders Healthy Scratch Leads To Plenty of Trade Speculation
The New York Islanders shockingly scratched Anthony Duclair on Monday, and now it's got fans speculating that a trade could be on the way soon.
The New York Islanders find themselves fighting hard for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, and while their intention is still to clearly go for it, there's been rumours that they could be sellers, with a name like Noah Dobson involved in trade speculation.
Now, further speculation has heated up on Monday, as reporter Stefan Rosner has revealed that the team are healthy scratching veteran Anthony Duclair, leading some online to speculate that the team could be interested in moving him ahead of the March 7th deadline.
With just 9 points scored in 30 games this season after signing a four-year deal in the summer, it's safe to say that Islanders fans have been disappointed with the returns thus far, and if Duclair was moved for future assets, it would be a solid move for this middling team.
However, a follow up comment from Rosner revealed that Head Coach Patrick Roy believes Duclair's struggles stem from still not being healthy, signalling that the scratch could simply be a way to get him some more rest before taking the ice again.
With the deadline now less than five days away, the Islanders have some key decisions to make, especially with the Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference heating up, but with veterans like Brock Nelson also drawing interest, they could be sellers.
Ultimately though, it's unlikely at this stage that Duclair gets moved unless something big changes, but if the team can't get him healthy and contributing again, it could no doubt be a conversation that begins again in the off-season.
