Above: New York Rangers winger Anthony Duclair
By the Caribbean Journal staff
19-year-old New York Rangers winger Anthony Duclair is quickly becoming the NHL’s “Haitian sensation.”
The Haitian-Canadian forward, whose parents both came to Canada from Haiti, forced his way onto the Rangers’ roster with a brilliant training camp and scored his first two NHL points in the Blueshirts’ 5-2 loss to Columbus Saturday night. It was just his second game in the NHL.
Duclair, who has been nicknamed “The Duke” by head coach Alain Vigneault, is one of a handful of players of Haitian heritage to play in the National Hockey League.
Just one, Claude Vilgrain, was born in Haiti.
Duclair, playing much of his time with the Rangers’ top line, set up Lee Stempniak for a goal in the second period and then Rick Nash for another in the third period.
Playing with a maturity well beyond his years, Duclair looks like he may be a star in the league for a long time.