Anthony Duclair eager to get back in the NHL with Coyotes

He never put down permanent roots, opting instead to live in a hotel, but it made sense why winger Anthony Duclair wasn't fussing about his long-term outlook when focusing on the present was much more enticing.

The 19-year-old had nabbed a roster spot with the Rangers, was performing regularly at Madison Square Garden and shared a locker room with the likes of Martin St. Louis, Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist.

"It was probably the best time of my life, for sure," Duclair said.

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As it turned out, not purchasing a home in Manhattan was a smart call; Duclair's stint with the Rangers lasted 18 games before he returned to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and less than two months later, he was flipped to the Coyotes in one of last season's most significant trades that saw defenseman Keith Yandle go to New York.

It was a deal that triggered the Coyotes' rebuild, but it's also one that has the potential to help end the process sooner rather than later.

And that opportunity isn't lost on Duclair.

"I'm just a young guy trying to make the roster," he said. "I'm going to work as hard as I can to make that deal work for us."

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With NHL experience already banked up, Duclair is among the leading candidates to win a job in training camp. But even if he hadn't already scored a goal in the league and added six assists, his skill set would merit consideration on its own.

Tucked into skates since he was 2 years old, Duclair's speed is eye-catching – even among the other prized prospects on the ice this week at the team's prospect development camp.

As a kid, he took skating lessons from Anna Sherbatov for about eight years to develop a strong, lengthy stride. The sessions would be four-to-five times a week with each lasting two hours.

"I hated it, but my dad thought it was good for me," Duclair said. "And I knew it was good for me, but she's really tough. She's a small Russian lady always screaming at me, but it definitely helped me in the future."

Speed isn't isolated to his skates; his hands are quick, too, and help explain his prowess around the net. Upon returning to junior last season, Duclair tallied 34 points in 26 games with the Quebec Remparts — this after he had four goals and eight points to help Canada capture gold at the World Junior Championship.

"Some of the plays he makes out there are outstanding," coach Dave Tippett said. "He's a young player that he'll still have to learn how to play without the puck, some coverage things, but his assets of skating and quickness and skill all are very high priority for us."

With those kind of attributes on display in a middle-of-the-summer orientation camp, a few more months of training might fine-tune Duclair enough to land a roster spot.

Last fall, Duclair — a third-round pick in 2013 taken 80th overall — didn't think he was ready to make the Rangers but did.

This go-around is different.

There's pressure to live up to the expectations that linger in a trade of that magnitude and also motivation to get back to the stage he enjoyed so much.

But it's a probably a whole lot easier to accomplish both with a team craving what Duclair has to offer.

"They're pushing younger, so what better scenario for me," he said. "I'm pretty lucky to be here."

Ice chips

• Hall of Famer Mike Modano was a guest coach during Wednesday's development camp practice.

Modano, who has the NHL record for most goals (561) and points (1,374) by an American-born player, played for Tippett when the two were with the Stars and has a home in the Valley.

"He still loves the game, likes to be around it, so just a fun day for him," Tippett said.

• The Coyotes have added to their pro coaching staff, naming John Slaney an assistant coach.

Slaney spent the past four seasons as an assistant with the team's American Hockey League affiliate. He'll help with the penalty kill and be an eye in the sky during games, overlooking the action and video replay from the press box.