Duclair falls, dangles from his knees and snipes goal of the year candidate

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Anthony Duclair scored an early Goal of the Year candidate tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Check out this absolute BEAUTY: 

It's a goal so nice that we have to see it twice. Check it out from this angle:

Oh BABY, what a goal!

The goal is Duclair's first of the season and his first as a member of the Blue Jackets. Since being signed in the offseason as a bit of a reclamation project, Duclair has put up three points in five games for his new club. In 56 games split between the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18, Duclair managed just 11 goals and 23 points. That's a far cry from the 20 goals and 44 points he put up in his rookie season with the Coyotes back in 2015-16. Now on his fourth team in just five seasons and on a one year, league minimum $650,000 deal it's put up or shut up time for the 23 year old native of Pointe Claire, Quebec.

Duclair's picture perfect snipe helped lead the Blue Jackets to a much needed 6-3 victory over the Flyers tonight. Cam Atkinson had two goals himself, while Russian superstar Artemi Panarin managed two assists. It was a big bounce back performance for Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky who was shelled for eight goals this past weekend in a brutal 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Interestingly enough, the Blue Jackets found themselves in the headline for other reasons this past weekend when NHL insider Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet revealed that Jackets forward Josh Anderson could be in play on the trade market.

“Interesting, he started the game on the weekend on the fourth line,” said Kypreos on CBC's Saturday Headlines segment during Hockey Night in Canada. “He’s a big, strong, heavy guy. There is no trade request yet from Josh Anderson, but clearly he’s unhappy. Two teams that have always shown interest in Josh Anderson in the past - Toronto and the Montreal Canadiens.”

Interesting. It’s unclear just how recent the interest from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens is, but from a purely speculative position it’s obvious to see where Anderson would fit in on either club. The 6 foot, 3 inch, 220 pound winger would be a good fit on either the Leafs of the Habs, but of course the sticking point, as with any trade, is obviously the asking price. The 24 year old Anderson topped the 30 point plateau last season and nearly hit the 20 goal plateau, scoring 19 goals and 30 points in 63 games. He’s a big body winger who’s not afraid to use his size along the boards and in the corners. He’d be a perfect fit on the wing with either club.