Anthony Duclair should be back tonight for the Islanders when they play the third-place Carolina Hurricanes in North Carolina. Duclair signed a free four-year, $14 billion free-agent contract with the Islanders in the off-season to be a leading scoring threat, but due to injury, he has only played 5 of the Islanders’ 32 games this season.
But the Islanders got even more good news yesterday about Mike Reilly, the Islanders defenseman who had emergency heart surgery in October. He will likely not play this season, but he was able to go for a skate, which is miraculous. If anything will spark the slumberous Islanders, getting Duclair back from injury and Mike Reilly skating should. This article will cover both of these amazing events.
The Importance of Anthony Duclair
Duclair was injured on October 19 against the Montreal Canadians and has been out since with a mysterious lower-body injury. He was signed to play on the Islanders’ top line and is much needed. The Islanders are mired in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and have only 31 points. They need a spark.
Duclair is a high-powered scorer. Duclair scored thirty-one goals for the Florida Panthers in 2021-2022, and the Islanders need goals. Duclair was signed to a large free-agent contract to provide that scoring, but he has not been playing. His return should provide a scoring spark, but the top line for the Islanders will not be whole tonight when they take on the Carolina Panthers. Bo Horvat will likely be out with an injury. When it rains, it pours.
Mike is a Miracle
Mike Reilly has been out of the Islanders’ lineup since suffering a concussion in early October. In a routine examination for a concussion, doctors found a heart condition, for which Reilly received emergency heart surgery in Calgary when the Islanders were on the road there. Reilly’s condition was so serious it was thought he would never play again. Nevertheless, Reilly posted a smiling picture of himself in a hospital bed with a doctor.
Reilly’s absence has hurt the Islander’s defensive depth. However, the emergence of the twenty-three-year-old Isiah George has quelled concerns somewhat. With such a serious condition, playing hockey again is not a corn for Reilly, but the fact he skated yesterday is nothing short of a miracle.
Just in the Nick of Time
The Islanders get Duclair back just in the nick of time. The Islanders play in North Carolina against the Hurricanes on December 17. On December 21, they play in Toronto against former Islander John Tavares and the Maple Leafs. Then they are on their Christmas break until January 2, when they host those same Toronto Maple Leafs. This break could work out for the Islanders.
Conclusion
The news about Anthony Duclair returning and the miraculous skating of Mike Reilly should spark the Islanders. If these great occurrences do not spark the Islanders, nothing will. At the very least, Duclair’s return should help Mat Barzal. Barzal, another Islander’s star, just returned from injury in the last game in Chicago against the Blackhawks. Barzal did not play well in his return, but hopefully, Duclair’s return will help Barzal. The return of the Islander’s walking wounded should give them a spark, which occurs just in the nick of time.
