Player Discussion: Mathew Barzal

[Strait2thecup]

TBH, I wanted Logan Brown from that draft... though Barzal is pretty satisfying

I can tell you right now that if we end up holding on to our 2 x 1sts....we will have 2 players as regarded as Barzal when he was drafted. This is a good draft.

I know we can land a top guy we want (trade), but would rather make sure we have elite prospects..I sure as hell don't want to end up with empty cupboards like the Habs. Next years team won't look like this years.

Logan brown was 2016

 

[steveat]

Ever since we didnt have a 1st rounder last year, it's totally screwed up my thinking on who was picked in what year.

 

[scott99]

Someone on Twitter compared Barzal to Denis Savard. I can see that a little bit. Funny thing is, when we drafted Lafontaine, people were comparing him to Savard, and a lot of people here were comparing Barzal’s playing style to Lafontaine . So lots of complimentary comparisons. Even saw one to Hakan Loob.

 

[Saunamakkara]

What a great kid this is! So quick and skillful. He's playing with high self-confidence, but, unlike Ho-Sang, he's a smart player and doesn't take any stupid risks. It's difficult to believe he's a rookie.

 

[Bronson]

His agility reminds me of Pavel Datsyuk's.

 

[seafoam]

Lives with Dennis Seidenberg

 

[Spybot]

His agility reminds me of Pavel Datsyuk's.

And his sneaky takeaways! Really curious to see if or how that part of his game develops.

 

[isles55]

Someone on Twitter compared Barzal to Denis Savard. I can see that a little bit. Funny thing is, when we drafted Lafontaine, people were comparing him to Savard, and a lot of people here were comparing Barzal’s playing style to Lafontaine . So lots of complimentary comparisons. Even saw one to Hakan Loob.

Don Cherry and Ron MacLean said the same thing on HNIC.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Someone on Twitter compared Barzal to Denis Savard. I can see that a little bit. Funny thing is, when we drafted Lafontaine, people were comparing him to Savard, and a lot of people here were comparing Barzal’s playing style to Lafontaine . So lots of complimentary comparisons. Even saw one to Hakan Loob.

Its funny how things change cause all thru minor hockey and once he got to junior, Barzal was considered a Ryan Nugent Hopkins clone. I saw RNH play alot thru minor hockey and in junior and he was unreal but now doesnt have that lethal offensive game anymore that Barzal has.

 

[Islesfan22]

Its funny how things change cause all thru minor hockey and once he got to junior, Barzal was considered a Ryan Nugent Hopkins clone. I saw RNH play alot thru minor hockey and in junior and he was unreal but now doesnt have that lethal offensive game anymore that Barzal has.

Just curious to why you think that is? RNH i always thought needed to get stronger as he was toothpick when he started playing in the NHL. He has not gotten better really since he has gotten stronger.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Just curious to why you think that is? RNH i always thought needed to get stronger as he was toothpick when he started playing in the NHL. He has not gotten better really since he has gotten stronger.

Ya its strange.. RNH was extremely impressive in his rookie season and was dangerous but then since then he kinda just became alright. I honestly thought after seeing him in junior and in his rookie season, he would be a consistent ppg type player

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

Barzal is overrated and so is my brain.

 

[scott99]

I heard the RNH comparisons as well, I think those comparisons were for two reasons, agility, they both are great at deeking and stopping on a dime to change directions, and both are pass first players, so a good comparison.

But I think the elite speed Barzal has is the difference. Plus I think Barzal is stronger.

 

[superdeluxe]

On Barzal's final play against the Senators (Where he was just skating around), someone compared him to Bobby Orr, and that got several likes. I mean just the fact that people are comparing him to someone like Bobby Orr. That is insane.

 

[Costigan77]

Someone on Twitter compared Barzal to Denis Savard. I can see that a little bit. Funny thing is, when we drafted Lafontaine, people were comparing him to Savard, and a lot of people here were comparing Barzal’s playing style to Lafontaine . So lots of complimentary comparisons. Even saw one to Hakan Loob.

That's kind of a decent comparison, and Savard was an pure passer. If anything, Barzal looks like Stevie Yzerman when he came up. Speed, great ice vision. Getting everyone involved. Yzerman really didn't become a two way center until Bowman took over. And even then, it took a while. I thought Yzerman was getting shipped to Ottawa at one point

 

[mm11]

That's kind of a decent comparison, and Savard was an pure passer. If anything, Barzal looks like Stevie Yzerman when he came up. Speed, great ice vision. Getting everyone involved. Yzerman really didn't become a two way center until Bowman took over. And even then, it took a while. I thought Yzerman was getting shipped to Ottawa at one point

I'm hearing some Hockey Hall of Famers these last few weeks when people are comparing our skinny 1st round pick out of the WHL from 2015. Names like Orr, Stevie Y, Patty Lafontaine, Adam Oates and Denis Savard are just about NHL royalty. Geez, either we are super lucky to have him or the brakes have to be pumped alittle. I prefer to say we are lucky to have him. (lol) Hope we get to see a great career in a Islander jersey. It's been a looooong time coming

 

[steveat]

I think Savard is closer to Guy Lafleur than Barzal is to Savard. Savard was such a smooth skater..even moreso than Barzal. There ARE similarities though..especially Barzal's hands.. I see skating to be similar to Doug Gilmour and carrying the puck...Gilmour used to circle a lot in the offensive zone...though I think Gilmour had more net presence...as in crashing the net or just being there to receive a pass..

Barzal is a distributor...Barzal is the one BIG reason our PP is actually working...We have playmakers and shooters...but we lost the distributor when Nielsen left. I think Baral's vision is similar to Backstrom's...he can find you and he will get you the puck.

Some guys resemble one player..Barzal's got pieces from so many good players.

 

[Strait2thecup]

I'm hearing some Hockey Hall of Famers these last few weeks when people are comparing our skinny 1st round pick out of the WHL from 2015. Names like Orr, Stevie Y, Patty Lafontaine, Adam Oates and Denis Savard are just about NHL royalty. Geez, either we are super lucky to have him or the brakes have to be pumped alittle. I prefer to say we are lucky to have him. (lol) Hope we get to see a great career in a Islander jersey. It's been a looooong time coming

The thing thats crazy about barzal is 23 points in his first 23 games as a rookie is incredible, no two ways about it. That with the fact that the underlying numbers are all sustainable from what ive read (not the biggest advanced stats guy) make this more than just luck. When JT was barzal's age (it was JT's 3rd season) I think thats about what he was putting up a quarter of the way through. It's pretty insane

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

His agility reminds me of Pavel Datsyuk's.

Does Mathew wear #13 because of Datsyuk?

I don't remember ever hearing his jersey number story and Datsyuk would definitely be a great Center to model your game after for a kid his age.

 

[redbull]

Nobody plays like Denis Savard, the game is so different now, but Barzal is pretty damn close. He reminds me of Marner, they are very similar players in so many ways - one's a C and one is RW. At the start of the year, I'd have said Marner is far ahead of Barzal in terms of offensive output (hockey sense, vision) but they are much closer than I'd thought. Marner's had a slow start this year after a superb year last year -- not sure how much of that is the teams' scouting and playing him differently vs. just a slow start. Barzal plays a very similar style, predictable play that the league can probably adjust to but time will tell.

I think both players have elite hockey sense and can adjust to any adjustment, and fighting through adversity is something all players will face at some point.

Barzal seems to have more impact on offense since he's a centre and is surprisingly strong on his feet, along the boards and pretty good without the puck (especially for a rookie). Hopefully he can keep it going.

Denis Savard, Pat Lafontaine - that's as high a praise as anything for a young player. Damn.

 

[lazycop]

Nobody plays like Denis Savard, the game is so different now, but Barzal is pretty damn close. He reminds me of Marner, they are very similar players in so many ways - one's a C and one is RW. At the start of the year, I'd have said Marner is far ahead of Barzal in terms of offensive output (hockey sense, vision) but they are much closer than I'd thought. Marner's had a slow start this year after a superb year last year -- not sure how much of that is the teams' scouting and playing him differently vs. just a slow start. Barzal plays a very similar style, predictable play that the league can probably adjust to but time will tell.

I think both players have elite hockey sense and can adjust to any adjustment, and fighting through adversity is something all players will face at some point.

Barzal seems to have more impact on offense since he's a centre and is surprisingly strong on his feet, along the boards and pretty good without the puck (especially for a rookie). Hopefully he can keep it going.

Denis Savard, Pat Lafontaine - that's as high a praise as anything for a young player. Damn.

And that's the Million $ question right there. Barzal's 2nd and 3rd time through the league will he adjust to the adjustments other teams are gonna make on him?

That's the mark of a great player.

 

[denis5]

And that's the Million $ question right there. Barzal's 2nd and 3rd time through the league will he adjust to the adjustments other teams are gonna make on him?

That's the mark of a great player.

Flyers just saw him twice; he seemed to handle them just fine (still shaking my head over the move on the game tying goal).

 

[superdeluxe]

Does Mathew wear #13 because of Datsyuk?

I don't remember ever hearing his jersey number story and Datsyuk would definitely be a great Center to model your game after for a kid his age.

Its possible, in pre-draft interviews, he said he has modeled his game after players like Giraux and Datsyuk.

 

[Rehabguy]

Reminds me a bit of Joe Sakic and will probably put up similar numbers which is probably why Sakic was insisting upon getting him in return for Duchene. He saw too much of himself in Barzal.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Reminds me a bit of Joe Sakic and will probably put up similar numbers.

So he will get to replace Snow when his contract ends in 20 years