VIDEO: Rangers' Duclair makes good on chance to play with Nash

New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault gave 19-year-old Anthony Duclair the opportunity to play alongside Rick Nash during Friday's preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks, and the 80th overall pick from the 2013 Entry Draft absolutely buried this lovely saucer pass from the veteran sniper.

While Duclair is likely heading back to the Quebec Minor Junior Hockey League's Quebec Ramparts – where he recorded 99 points (50 goals, 49 assists) in 59 games before suffering a season-ending concussion on Feb. 28 – Vigneault told the New York Post the club felt "it’s going to be beneficial for him to spend a little bit more time here with us, conditioning-wise, understanding what it is to be a pro athlete."

Interestingly, as the Post reports, one year will be burned off Duclair's entry-level contract, whether he goes back to junior or not:

Ordinarily, the contract would slide for a second straight season if Duclair returns to juniors, thus leaving him with the full three-year Entry Level deal to fulfill. But because Duclair did not sign his first contract until Jan. 6, 2014, thus missing the Dec. 31, 2013 cutoff date, the Rangers got only one “slide year” out of it.

Thus, even if Duclair returns to Quebec, the winger will have just two years remaining on his contract and would become eligible for restricted free agency in 2017. He will not, however, have salary-arbitration rights, which he would have held at the expiration of the three-year deal if it included two slide years. A management source told The Post that Duclair’s camp preferred it this way.

Either way, Duclair will always have this highlight-reel goal (featuring a somewhat rare Nash assist) to remember.