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New York Rangers Make Correct Call By Loaning Anthony Duclair To Quebec

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Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Less than 24 hours after winning a World Junior Gold Medal for Team Canada, Anthony Duclair received word that he would be sent back to his Junior team in the QMJHL, the Quebec Remparts. The move comes as little surprise to those in Rangerstown. While Duclair certainly has the skills to play at the NHL level, the New York Rangers cannot and should not have given him the allotted ice time he requires to develop at the professional level.

Winners of 13 of their last 14 games, the Blueshirts are presently the hottest team in hockey.  While the Rangers have found their swagger, they have done so without the presence of Duclair in the lineup. At the season’s outset, head coach Alain Vigneault stated that he would only play the 19-year-old if he was slated to be a top-nine forward.  With the top three lines secured (Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Martin St.Louis, Carl Haglin-Kevin Hayes-Jesper Fast), Duclair became the odd man out. The phenom’s talent that produced one goal and six assists in 18 games lays wasting away while he observes the action from a skybox as a healthy scratch.

As a member of the Quebec Remparts, Duclair will see top minutes and further develop his game at the Junior level. In Quebec, he will see top minutes on a nightly basis. At the young age of 19, development takes precedence over NHL production. While the teenage wonder can no doubt provide the Rangers with an offensive spark, it is unfair to keep him in New York. A young player needs to learn from in-game experiences and further grow from them. Failure to do so will only delay and hinder his progression in the NHL.

Duclair is a potential gem, but he’s still a little rough around the edges. It is vital that the Rangers do everything in their power to groom him for that future role. This season marks the winger’s last year of junior eligibility. With the Remparts hosting and receiving an automatic bid in the Memorial Cup (the equivalent of the Stanley Cup in Juniors), Duclair has the opportunity to shine and develop his game on the junior’s biggest stage. He has expressed his will to captain Quebec to the cup.

Because the Rangers are loaning Duclair, he is eligible to be recalled following the conclusion of the Memorial Cup. New York hopes that Duclair maximizes this experience and returns to Rangerstown a more polished player whether it be this season or next.

Adam Feld is a Rangers writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @trublunyblog.  Like him on facebook or add him to your network on google

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