Isles’ Duclair out of lineup vs. Rangers with upper-body injury

Anthony Duclair will sit the Islanders’ preseason game against the New York Rangers due to an upper-body injury, the team announced Thursday. The condition is described as day to day and is not believed to be connected to the groin injury that limited Duclair for much of last season. With three preseason games remaining before the Oct. 9 regular-season opener, New York has stressed a cautious approach to the forward’s return as he continues to ramp back into game action.

Right now it’s an upper-body injury, so hopefully he’ll be fine and ready to play at some time, Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. We’re not putting pressure on our guys. We want them to be healthy when they come in the lineup and we’ll go from there. Duclair, who spoke at a team golf outing before camp, has said his focus is Game 1 of the regular season and that he will take all the time needed during training camp and the preseason to be ready.

The update compounds questions about Duclair’s status after a turbulent past season. He played just five games at full strength last year, and his return from a torn groin was followed by uneven production and a late-season dip that prompted Roy to publicly criticize his play two weeks before the end of the campaign. Duclair subsequently took a personal leave for the remainder of the season. The Islanders maintain they are safeguarding a player who has faced significant rehab and who still aims to contribute meaningfully once healthy.

Prospect Daylan Kuefler also left the preseason opener with an upper-body injury, and the Islanders said swelling must subside before a timetable can be set for his return. The club did not provide a target date for either player’s return, underscoring the careful approach as camp winds down and the regular season approaches.

David Rittich started in goal for the Islanders, playing the first two periods and turning away 21 of 24 shots. Marcus Hogberg faced five shots in the third, stopping all five as New York staged a late rally to secure a 5-4 win over the Rangers. The result kept the Islanders’ preseason narrative of close, competitive outings alive as they assess depth and health ahead of the opener.

The game provided a glimpse of how the Islanders might navigate absence in key forward positions. With Duclair sidelined, other players are stepping up to fill roles in the forward lines and on special teams, a factor Roy has emphasized as crucial for building chemistry before October. The team has three preseason games remaining, and the coach reiterated that the priority remains health and readiness for the season opener, rather than rushing a return that could risk a longer absence. As the pace of camp quickens and the everyday rhythm of the lineup evolves, Duclair’s status will continue to shape how the Islanders configure their attack in the weeks ahead.

The Islanders will monitor both Duclair and Kuefler in the coming days, with decisions on individual timelines contingent on swelling, strength, and how they respond to continued on-ice work. Roy’s comments suggest a measured approach focused on sustainable returns, rather than a rushed reintroduction to meaningful minutes. As the team converts training-camp momentum into a cohesive preseason identity, every update on health becomes a signal of how the roster might look when the regular season begins in October.