Forward Anthony Duclair will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Sunday when the San Jose Sharks play the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver.
While Duclair, 28, has been scoring more of late, with three goals and three assists in his last seven games before Sunday, Sharks coach David Quinn feels other parts of his game have slipped.
In the third period of the Sharks’ game Friday against the Arizona Coyotes, Duclair didn’t get didn’t back onside quickly enough, negating what would have been a tying goal by Mikael Granlund at the 16:01 mark of the third period. San Jose lost the game 1-0.
“It’s something that we all saw and it was unfortunate,” Quinn told the Sharks Audio Network of the play. “You can never take your foot off the pedal during the shift. We just didn’t get onside quick enough.”
Jacob MacDonald, scratched from the last two games, will take Duclair’s spot in the Sharks’ lineup Sunday. Recent acquisition Jack Studnicka will also play against the Avalanche and center the third line.
Duclair has 11 points in 27 games with a -6 plus-minus rating this season as he’s averaged 16:23 in ice time per game, sixth-most among all Sharks forwards.
Duclair missed three other games from Nov. 10-14 after he came down with strep throat. He was also knocked out of the Sharks’ game with the Vegas Golden Knights last Sunday after he was hit in the jaw by Keegan Kolesar’s shoulder at the start of the second period.
Quinn intimated that Duclair could be back in the lineup next week when the Sharks return home to play the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
“Duke’s an important player for us,” Quinn said. “He’s not going to be in the lineup tonight, not just because of one play. He’s been productive offensively, but there are other areas of his game that we all want him to be a little bit better in, and sometimes sitting above and watching kind of gives (you) a chance to press reset and get back at it.”
Duclair is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason and figures to be moved to another team before the March 8 trade deadline if he doesn’t sign a contract extension with the Sharks before that point.
As of earlier this week, Duclair, who represents himself, told Bay Area News Group he had not had any discussions with Sharks general manager Mike Grier about a new contract. Duclair said he’s open to remaining in San Jose.
“Even with how the season is going, I feel like there’s a lot of optimism here,” Duclair said. “Just looking at camp with the prospects, I think there’s a bright future here. With some young guys on this team, there are going to be some really good players in the league moving forward. I’m excited and have full faith in (Grier) and what he has planned for this organization.”
Duclair, 28, would like to remain with one franchise for an extended period since the Sharks are his seventh team since he entered the NHL as a 19-year-old in 2014.
“Obviously, I’ve moved around quite a bit in my career,” Duclair said. “So probably finding a home at this stage of my career and my life would be nice.”