When the New York Rangers announced in September that Anthony Duclair was going to make the team out of training camp, it was a move that garnered mixed reactions. He clearly deserved a spot on the roster, but where would he play? Well, two months into the season, Duclair’s role with the Rangers is still a mystery. He has played in 18 of 24 games and has sometimes been glued to the bench for long periods of time when he does play. That is why the Rangers must lend Duclair to team Canada for the world junior championship coming up soon.

Duclair has played in 18 games this season, only posting one goal and six assists. He has averaged 12:09 minutes of ice time per game during the 18 games he has played in. As for some advanced stats, Duclair has posted a relatively average Corsi percentage at 51.4. His corsi relative percentage is at 1.6, which is solid, but not great.

Clearly Duclair still has a long way to go before he is a finished product. He is only 19 but needs to improve when he doesn’t have the puck. He has all the physical tools to be a monster in the NHL once he fills out and gets stronger. In order for Duclair to get better, he has to be playing against good competition. There is no point in sending him back to juniors, because he has nothing left to prove there. But lending him to team Canada will give him the opportunity to play against elite competition for his age and will help his confidence.

It is clear that head coach Alain Vigneault would rather start some older, more experienced players like Tanner Glass or Lee Stempniak instead of Duclair. If this continues to be the case, the Rangers should lend Duclair to team Canada so he can get some more experience. Hopefully that will give Vigneault the confidence to stick him in as a regular in the lineup.