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Arizona Coyotes: Anthony Duclair’s aggressiveness will be key

By Jason Harrison

November 9, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Anthony Duclair (10) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 9, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Anthony Duclair (10) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Coyotes received banner outings from several rookies, including 20 goal scorer Anthony Duclair. Duke’s aggressiveness in his second season will be key to ensuring he doesn’t encounter the sophomore slump.

Though it didn’t end in a playoff berth or Stanley Cup glory, last season was a magical one for Arizona Coyotes fans.

The franchise began to see the fruit of it’s rebuilding labor blossom.

That charge was led by rookie forwards Anthony Duclair and Max Domi.

Duclair was acquired from the New York Rangers in the trade that sent Keith Yandle to the East.

Duke spent his first season in the desert chipping in 20 goals and 49 points. Not too shabby.

Now that Yandle will be patrolling the blue-line in Florida and didn’t remain with the Rangers, the trade looks even better.

The Duke showcased instant chemistry with best friend and fellow rookie Max Domi. The pair combined for a total of 101 points throughout the campaign, with Domi notching more assists (34) while Duclair held the lead in goals.

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When you compare the play of the two, however, both the stats and the eye test tell us that Domi was the aggressor.

Duclair deferred all too often, and likely cost himself some points by continually attempting to feed Antoine Vermette, among others, instead of taking advantage of the open looks he was offered.

#10’s passive, patient nature saw him finish 11th on the team with 105 shots on the season. That low shot total is the biggest cause for concern with Duke going forward.

He scored his goals while shooting 19% in 2015-16. Some players, such as Alex Tanguay (18.6% for his career), manage to maintain a lofty shooting percentage throughout an entire career.

Those players are rare, however, which means Duclair is a prime candidate for regression in that area in 2016-17.

That doesn’t mean we have to see a regression in goals scored, however. Not if the volume of shots increases.

Spend a few games watching Duclair and it’s plainly evident that the youngster is dynamic on the ice. In layman’s terms, he has a hell of a shot.

A shot that Head Coach Dave Tippett, General Manager John Chayka, and anyone else wearing Arizona Coyotes related attire should encourage Duke to fire more often.

Imagine, for a moment, that Duclair shot the same number of times as defenseman Michael Stone last season.

If his shooting percentage had dropped a full 3.5% to a slightly more reasonable 15.5% on 161 shots, he would have scored 25 goals last season. That’s a big difference.

It’s not just his goals that matter, however.

Next: Might the Coyotes and Tobias Rieder Be Better Off Saying Goodbye?

Duclair was one of the few Arizona Coyotes players who drove possession last season. If he piled on another fifty or sixty shots, we’re also talking more second chance opportunities and deflections for his teammates to find.

And potentially a few more goals for the team as a whole.

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