Anthony Duclair

Anthony Duclair (born August 26, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Duclair was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round, 80th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the organization with which he began his NHL career. Duclair has also played in the NHL for the Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators. Duclair was born on August 26, 1995, in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, and was raised in Laval by Haitian immigrants Wendell Duclair and Dominique Raphael. While both his father and uncle played Canadian football, with uncle Farell Duclair helping the Calgary Stampeders win the 74th Grey Cup in 1986, Anthony instead played ice hockey. A fan of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), Duclair's favorite childhood hockey player was Saku Koivu. Duclair began ice skating at the age of two and playing hockey two years later. As a child, Duclair attended schools where he would be finished with class early in the afternoon, allowing him to spend more time practicing hockey. In 2008, he and Frédérik Gauthier appeared in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey affiliate of the Canadiens. As an adolescent, he played with the Lac St. Louis Lions of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League. In 2011, the Lions won the Jimmy Ferrari Cup, and Duclair was awarded the Mario Lemieux Trophy for the top 15-year-old prospect in the league. The Lions then advanced to the Telus Cup, where Duclair scored two goals in their bronze medal match win over the Vancouver North West Giants.