Player Discussion: Mathew Barzal

[doublechili]

One of the most laughable sentiments since I joined HF ... discrediting a player who tied Gretzky's record.

B-bb-but if you take aw-ay the 5 point games, he is bbu-bu-basically a 60 point player.

You can't really argue with their logic. Matthews missed 20 games last year. Let's assume he would have scored 5 points in each of those games. Therefore Matthews would have had another 100 points. It's actually kinda unfair.

 

[danteipp]

Let's just assume all the games Barzal scored 5 points he actually scored 0 points. Okay? It's done. Much like Thanos, I've snapped my fingers and those 15 points have disappeared into the soul stone.

Awesome. Just awesome. And let's hope that a Leafs fan never gets a hold of the reality stone, or we are all in trouble. But I guess if they got the time stone, they could all go back to 1967 and that would be OK.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Just another day folks. Leafs fans becoming unglued on the main board that Barzal was better than Tavares last year, or Barzal had more points than Marner, Matthews, and Nylander in their entire careers. Not a worry, I have Mathew's back if shade comes his way. The latest criticism, he had multiple 5 pt games last season. They are now grasping the bottom of the barrel for anything negative they can say of Barzal if critiquing him for 5 pt games is the new criticism.

 

[PWJunior]

Paul Bissonnette with Barzal, Boeser, and Keller. Pretty funny.

 

[scott99]

I’m not sure if Barzal is better yet, but he is certainly poised to be. Very different players, but both want to be the best they can be and work very hard at it.

Yup, Barzal is lightyears ahead in skating, not even worth comparing.

If he can improve his goalscoring, he will be dangerous in so many ways.

I don’t think Barzal will ever be a big goal scorer. He may hit 30 goals once, maybe twice, ya never know. But he will get assists by the bucketful. Great passer who thinks the game miles ahead of the defenders. Probably will be a 60-70 assist guy every year.

The skating, it’s just an incredible thing to watch. I would use the word majestic. It seems like, because of his skating, he makes something happen on EVERY shift. The team doesn’t score every time, but he makes things happen every shift. It’s just an amazing thing to behold.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Can we nickname Barzal "the sturgeon"

 

[BelovedIsles]

I don’t think Barzal will ever be a big goal scorer. He may hit 30 goals once, maybe twice, ya never know. But he will get assists by the bucketful. Great passer who thinks the game miles ahead of the defenders. Probably will be a 60-70 assist guy every year.

The skating, it’s just an incredible thing to watch. I would use the word majestic. It seems like, because of his skating, he makes something happen on EVERY shift. The team doesn’t score every time, but he makes things happen every shift. It’s just an amazing thing to behold.

Agreed about goal scoring, think he’ll sniff 30 perpetually. Just want his scoring to be more of a threat so teams don’t overplay the pass, if they do, he’ll burn them.

Majestic is right! I’ve mentioned a few times, but he’s one player that leaves me in perpetual awe.

Will be a bright spot, for sure, during what looks to be a dark season.

 

[Quicklime]

Can we nickname Barzal "the sturgeon"

Because of the initials, I always thought of the Mr. Bungle logo.

View media item 2707

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don’t think Barzal will ever be a big goal scorer. He may hit 30 goals once, maybe twice, ya never know. But he will get assists by the bucketful. Great passer who thinks the game miles ahead of the defenders. Probably will be a 60-70 assist guy every year.

The skating, it’s just an incredible thing to watch. I would use the word majestic. It seems like, because of his skating, he makes something happen on EVERY shift. The team doesn’t score every time, but he makes things happen every shift. It’s just an amazing thing to behold.

I don't know what to think of Barzal's goal scoring upside at this point. Coming into this year, I was convinced the one thing that was holding him back from ever being an elite 1C was goal scoring. He then went on to score 22 goals as a rookie (not a huge total, but way more than I expected).

His goal totals might be similar to what you see out of Claude Giroux, though they'd score them in different ways. Giroux's got a better long-range shot, IMO, but Barzal's more likely to score from in closer.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I don’t think Barzal will ever be a big goal scorer. He may hit 30 goals once, maybe twice, ya never know. But he will get assists by the bucketful. Great passer who thinks the game miles ahead of the defenders. Probably will be a 60-70 assist guy every year.

The skating, it’s just an incredible thing to watch. I would use the word majestic. It seems like, because of his skating, he makes something happen on EVERY shift. The team doesn’t score every time, but he makes things happen every shift. It’s just an amazing thing to behold.

He's definitely a playmaker first, I would not be surprised he scores 30 one year. But he will be a Center that can control the pace of a game. Bend it at his will. I don't know what nickname to give him, but I recall a movie called The Last Airbender. Barzal bends the air as he weaves up the ice.

 

[blinkman360]

22 in year one is a pretty good indicator for him hovering around the 30 mark on average, at least during his prime years. Some years under, some years over. Maybe one or two years of being way over.

IMO the sky is the limit for this kid.

 

[saintunspecified]

He's definitely a playmaker first, I would not be surprised he scores 30 one year. But he will be a Center that can control the pace of a game. Bend it at his will. I don't know what nickname to give him, but I recall a movie called The Last Airbender. Barzal bends the air as he weaves up the ice.

That's an awful movie based on an amazing Nickelodeon animated series. But Barzal definitely yip-yips.

 

[seafoam]

20+ is more than adequate if you’re a 60+ assist guy, which Barzal is.

I won’t be surprised if he ever hits 30, but it’s not going to be the norm.

 

[seafoam]

That's an awful movie based on an amazing Nickelodeon animated series. But Barzal definitely yip-yips.

I used to think I had your age pinned down, now I’m not so sure.

Great series indeed, however.

 

[saintunspecified]

I used to think I had your age pinned down, now I’m not so sure.

Great series indeed, however.

Up With Grups*

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Islanders fans. I just made an interesting post for Mathew on the Main board under the topic top 20 Centers.

Have a read here:

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/148748857/

 

[DarkHorse2]

Paul Bissonnette with Barzal, Boeser, and Keller. Pretty funny.

I'd appreciate it if people stopped putting Starzal in dangerous situations.

 

[PWJunior]

 

[Lowe in Oil]

There was always a reason the Isles selected Reinhart
How many points do you guys think Barzal hits this year? 70?

He's my favourite player (Oilers + Hall excluded )

 

[LeapOnOver]

I don't know what to think of Barzal's goal scoring upside at this point. Coming into this year, I was convinced the one thing that was holding him back from ever being an elite 1C was goal scoring. He then went on to score 22 goals as a rookie (not a huge total, but way more than I expected).

His goal totals might be similar to what you see out of Claude Giroux, though they'd score them in different ways. Giroux's got a better long-range shot, IMO, but Barzal's more likely to score from in closer.

Yeah, I think you can look at it as Giroux has more of a goal scoring instinct than Barzal, but Barzal going to get several goals from just his speed. Take his first NHL goal. Just got the goalie scared he was going to go behind the net with speed and snuck it in catching the keeper off guard. He'll probably get quite a few like that over the course of his career.

 

[duster19]

There was always a reason the Isles selected Reinhart
How many points do you guys think Barzal hits this year? 70?

He's my favourite player (Oilers + Hall excluded )

100.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Anybody worried Barzal might be too much of a "rock star". The video above, this foray into fashion. You know the NHL squashes that kind of showbiz personality. I hope it doesn't impact his performance on the ice.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Anybody worried Barzal might be too much of a "rock star". The video above, this foray into fashion. You know the NHL squashes that kind of showbiz personality. I hope it doesn't impact his performance on the ice.

Doesn't seem to have affected Subban or Ovechkin. Both can be quite flamboyant. And Brent Burns' whole "I look like a homeless Sasquatch" thing seems to be earning him a bunch of commercials.

I think the only time they look down on it is when it results in questionable off-ice behavior.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Doesn't seem to have affected Subban or Ovechkin. Both can be quite flamboyant. And Brent Burns' whole "I look like a homeless Sasquatch" thing seems to be earning him a bunch of commercials.

I think the only time they look down on it is when it results in questionable off-ice behavior.

Yeah, I guess I've just always viewed Subban and Ovechkin as just the right of playful mixed with cocky. I've still seen them be very humble. I also didn't see them acting that way on season 1. I'm sure it's nothing, but I'm bringing it up in case I can use it as an "I told you so" card in the future and claim I've won the internet.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Doesn't seem to have affected Subban or Ovechkin. Both can be quite flamboyant. And Brent Burns' whole "I look like a homeless Sasquatch" thing seems to be earning him a bunch of commercials.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do most Sasquatchs live in homes? That's terrifying.