Anthony Duclair got the message.
Duclair spoke to the media this morning, for the first time since San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn scratched him in Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
“Just be better, work harder, and skate more,” Duclair shared.
That was what Duclair failed to do on the disallowed Mikael Granlund goal on Friday, which could have at least sent the Sharks to overtime in their eventual 1-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
“I had to skate more, obviously,” Duclair said of that particular play. “You have to track back and work harder, that’s it.”
That was not the only play Quinn had a gripe with, and he alluded to as much when he made the decision to scratch the speedy winger in Denver.
“It’s something that we all saw, and it was unfortunate. You can never take your foot off the pedal during a shift. We just didn’t get onside quick enough,” the San Jose Sharks bench boss said on Sunday. “Duke’s an important player for us. He’s not going to be in the line-up tonight. Not just because of one play. He’s been productive offensively, but there’s other areas of his game that we all want him to a little bit better in.”
Quinn wants Duclair to impact the Sharks beyond the six goals and 11 points he has this season, even after watching the winger start December off with three goals and five points in the first three games of the month.
And that is what Duclair expects from himself after having a conversation with Quinn about the decision to scratch him.
“Just for me, I have to move my feet, track back harder, and be better on the walls,” he said.
“I just want to see him skating both ways, and in all three zones,” Quinn said today. “When he does that, he is a really good player in this league.”
Sunday’s healthy scratch was Duclair’s first since being sat in the Florida Panthers’ Game Six victory over the Washington Capitals in the 2022 playoffs.
Duclair was reinvigorated in the next game, bouncing back with a goal in Game One against second-round opponent Tampa Bay Lightning.
So he should be ready to be an impact player for the San Jose Sharks tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. He’ll be with regular linemates Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund.
“It’s a wake-up call,” Duclair said. “Let’s turn the page and move on.”
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