The Arizona Coyotes aren't ready to make a major commitment to Anthony Duclair.
Duclair, 21, is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract. But those negotiations couldn't come at a worse time for the young winger, who struggled in his second full NHL season, netting just 15 points in 58 games.
It was a steep decline for the Quebec-born forward, who a year earlier starred alongside fellow Coyotes freshman Max Domi as he notched 20 goals and 24 assists in 81 games to finish seventh in NHL rookie scoring.
"It's going to be a one- or two-year deal," Coyotes general manager John Chayka told AZ Central's Sarah McLellan. "That's where we're at. We've talked. We understand where each other's at."
Unable to find the back of the net as often in 2016-17, Duclair was served with a short demotion to the AHL. But his scoring touch couldn't make up for his lost confidence, as he came away with just one goal (plus seven assists) through 16 contests with the Coyotes' minor-league affiliate.
While with the big club, former coach Dave Tippett challenged Duclair to re-establish himself as an NHL player. "We want him to play to his potential," Tippett said in March. "He set a standard for his play last year that he has to get back to. For whatever reason, he hasn't come close to that this year."
The veteran bench boss scratched Duclair for six contests last season, but there will now be a different voice calling the shots after Arizona announced the hiring of new head coach Rick Tocchet this week.
The Coyotes still see a lot in the scoring winger they acquired from the New York Rangers at the 2015 deadline, as Chayka told McLellan: "I like 'Duke' as a player a lot, as a person a lot, but he had a rough year. I think it's more just about getting him back on the horse, getting him going. For both the team and the player, short-term is the best."
But that doesn't mean a shorter contract couldn't be beneficial to Duclair, who is coming off his entry-level deal, as an improved 2017-18 campaign could see him cash in during an upcoming offseason.
Duclair is one of two Coyotes roster players who remain restricted free agents, along with fellow forward Jordan Martinook, who tallied 25 points in 77 games last season. The 24-year-old received a qualifying offer from the club but has since filed for salary arbitration, with his hearing set for July 26.
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