GDT: GDT #25 New York Islanders vs Columbus Blue Jackets | December 7th | 7:30 PM | F/W 7-3

[Richie Daggers Crime]

He’s plays with so much more swagger than Aho, he’s definitely been an x-factor.

Amazing.

 

[MikeyMike01]

I'm just glad all the naysayers are finally giving the kid his due. So tired of defending this kid night after night. In typical HF Islander fan fashion they shit on the player for years on end and then when he is allowed to play his game they change their tune.

The talent evaluators around here have the same track record as Jim Cramer

 

[mm11]

Has anyone considered the Mike Reilly effect?

Brilliant. So freaking obvious we all missed it well most of us

 

[Rehabguy]

But, Trotz taught Barzal structure....ok, maybe not a lot but enough so that it is enhancing his game now that he is let "loose". He has really looked good overall this year..

As for us, kinda flipped. We looked really bad for two periods and out of nowhere, brought it in the last 15 of the third. It was fun, but still far from a complete game. D and coverage are still beyond bad. A better team might have had us out of it before the third. We'll see over the next three.

Agreed. At the very least Trotz taught Barzal a better two way game.

 

[PK Cronin]

Has anyone considered the Mike Reilly effect?

I've considered his effect on my mental health and it's positive. No more Aho, ever.

 

[MJF]

I'm just glad all the naysayers are finally giving the kid his due. So tired of defending this kid night after night. In typical HF Islander fan fashion they shit on the player for years on end and then when he is allowed to play his game they change their tune.

How many times have people here said we know Barzal is capable of playing the game this way, it’s up to him to change his style of play?

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

How many times have people here said we know Barzal is capable of playing the game this way, it’s up to him to change his style of play?

A lot. Not as many as some have told us about the right way to build a cup contender, but still, a lot.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I've considered his effect on my mental health and it's positive. No more Aho, ever.

You wouldn't think it'd matter Aho lot.

 

[Rehabguy]

Nypost article

Inside the mind of an evolving Mat Barzal as he rediscovers elite Islanders form​

From the horses mouth 2 days ago and why all of a sudden a surge in points reminiscent of his Calder year:

“I’d say it’s just a being-26-[years-old] thing,” he said. “I had [confidence] kinda early on. I kinda lost it. Kinda lost my confidence there for a little bit.”

Hang on. Back up. What was that?

“Not that it really affected my game a ton,” Barzal went on. “It’s just that level of being in the top tier versus maybe not for me might just be a confidence thing. Cause when I’m playing with confidence, can go off instincts. And doing what I know I can do out there. I know I can be one of the top players in the league.”

“It’s more just, there’s tiers to confidence,” he said. “I feel like right now, I’m kinda at that point, I remember in my rookie season, just scoring every night. Every day, confidence is high and that kinda stuff. Lately we’ve been scoring at a good rate. Maybe that’s part of it, the actual production. Seeing the puck go in the net a little more.”

People like to have concrete answers but sometimes it's not that simple. Playing for a coach whose system is focused so much on defense can hurt the confidence of a player whose used to putting up big points. This is something I brought up about the team in general a few weeks back about confidence and how confidence helped Jason Blake elevate his game (interestingly enough just around the time Barzal picked up his game a couple of games later) and how the team in general needed to loosen up and use those "instincts" that made them great athletes.

I'm glad Barzal figured this out. This is not a game of chess as PK Cronin loves to see it. Its a a sport and these are athletes.

How many times have people here said we know Barzal is capable of playing the game this way, it’s up to him to change his style of play?

It wasn't style of play. Apparently it was just confidence. See above. I could have told him that. If people are not going to believe the words coming out of his own mouth I don't know what else to say. The player was always there. As Barzy said himself, “he knows what he can do out there”. He just had to rediscover who he was and believe in himself.

 

[MJF]

Nypost article

Inside the mind of an evolving Mat Barzal as he rediscovers elite Islanders form​

From the horses mouth 2 days ago and why all of a sudden a surge in points reminiscent of his Calder year:

“I’d say it’s just a being-26-[years-old] thing,” he said. “I had [confidence] kinda early on. I kinda lost it. Kinda lost my confidence there for a little bit.”

Hang on. Back up. What was that?

“Not that it really affected my game a ton,” Barzal went on. “It’s just that level of being in the top tier versus maybe not for me might just be a confidence thing. Cause when I’m playing with confidence, can go off instincts. And doing what I know I can do out there. I know I can be one of the top players in the league.”

“It’s more just, there’s tiers to confidence,” he said. “I feel like right now, I’m kinda at that point, I remember in my rookie season, just scoring every night. Every day, confidence is high and that kinda stuff. Lately we’ve been scoring at a good rate. Maybe that’s part of it, the actual production. Seeing the puck go in the net a little more.”

People like to have concrete answers but sometimes it's not that simple. Playing for a coach whose system is focused so much on defense can hurt the confidence of a player whose used to putting up big points. This is something I brought up about the team in general a few weeks back about confidence and how confidence helped Jason Blake elevate his game (interestingly enough just around the time Barzal picked up his game a couple of games later) and how the team in general needed to loosen up and use those "instincts" that made them great athletes.

I'm glad Barzal figured this out. This is not a game of chess as PK Cronin loves to see it. Its a a sport and these are athletes.


It wasn't style of play. Apparently it was just confidence. See above. I could have told him that. If people are not going to believe the words coming out of his own mouth I don't know what else to say. The player was always there. He just had to believe in himself.

That’s playerspeak in the media. Like Nuke LaLoosh giving his first interview after he got called up to the majors.

Barzal did change his style. He shoots more, and he takes rink tours less often. That’s not confidence or being unshackled. It was a conscious decision by Barzal himself.

 

[CupHolders]

Has anyone considered the Mike Reilly effect?

All seriousness, I’ve wanted the Isles to acquire Reilly for a couple of seasons now. But in truth, more as a possible avenue of dumping Bailey.

With that said, even though I wanted him acquired… I actually have been a bit more disappointed in his play than most here. He’s looked ok in the offensive zone. But he has definitely shown why he was bought-out and waived the past couple of seasons.

 

[Rehabguy]

That’s playerspeak in the media. Like Nuke LaLoosh giving his first interview after he got called up to the majors.

Barzal did change his style. He shoots more, and he takes rink tours less often. That’s not confidence or being unshackled. It was a conscious decision by Barzal himself.

It was a conscious decision as he said to believe in himself and just do what he's always done. That's from his own mouth no need to look for a narrative. He just had to get back to playing the way he did his Calder year and he would be fine. This narrative that we're seeing some sort of different Barzal is just laughable. It's the same player playing the same way he played his Calder year. Maybe some better decisions yes, but the confidence is clearly back.

 

[CupHolders]

Nypost article

Inside the mind of an evolving Mat Barzal as he rediscovers elite Islanders form​

From the horses mouth 2 days ago and why all of a sudden a surge in points reminiscent of his Calder year:

“I’d say it’s just a being-26-[years-old] thing,” he said. “I had [confidence] kinda early on. I kinda lost it. Kinda lost my confidence there for a little bit.”

Hang on. Back up. What was that?

“Not that it really affected my game a ton,” Barzal went on. “It’s just that level of being in the top tier versus maybe not for me might just be a confidence thing. Cause when I’m playing with confidence, can go off instincts. And doing what I know I can do out there. I know I can be one of the top players in the league.”

“It’s more just, there’s tiers to confidence,” he said. “I feel like right now, I’m kinda at that point, I remember in my rookie season, just scoring every night. Every day, confidence is high and that kinda stuff. Lately we’ve been scoring at a good rate. Maybe that’s part of it, the actual production. Seeing the puck go in the net a little more.”

People like to have concrete answers but sometimes it's not that simple. Playing for a coach whose system is focused so much on defense can hurt the confidence of a player whose used to putting up big points. This is something I brought up about the team in general a few weeks back about confidence and how confidence helped Jason Blake elevate his game (interestingly enough just around the time Barzal picked up his game a couple of games later) and how the team in general needed to loosen up and use those "instincts" that made them great athletes.

I'm glad Barzal figured this out. This is not a game of chess as PK Cronin loves to see it. Its a a sport and these are athletes.


It wasn't style of play. Apparently it was just confidence. See above. I could have told him that. If people are not going to believe the words coming out of his own mouth I don't know what else to say. The player was always there. He just had to believe in himself.

Nah, I think you’re doing a great job of seeing what you want to see in that article.

Again, I’m someone who’s posting history clearly shows that I don’t have some Barzal “hating” thing going on.

While there may be a poster or two who go overboard on their criticisms, for the most part critiques against Barzal’s game are fair.

I only dislike when posters make it seem impossible for a player to progress. Especially when they make the strange use of Brock Nelson as an example of how Barzal is a deficient player. The same Brock Nelson that took longer in his career to find the consistency in his game than the age Barzal is now.

 

[Rehabguy]

Nah, I think you’re doing a great job of seeing what you want to see in that article.

Again, I’m someone who’s posting history clearly shows that I don’t have some Barzal “hating” thing going on.

While there may be a poster or two who go overboard on their criticisms, for the most part critiques against Barzal’s game are fair.

I only dislike when posters make it seem impossible for a player to progress. Especially when they make the strange use of Brock Nelson as an example of how Barzal is a deficient player. The same Brock Nelson that took longer in his career to find the consistency in his game than the age Barzal is now.

Nah. I just see things as they are and take people for their word. If he says it was simply a confidence thing why doubt him?

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

It was a conscious decision as he said to believe in himself and just do what he's always done. That's from his own mouth no need to look for a narrative. He just had to get back to playing the way he did his Calder year and he would be fine. This narrative that we're seeing some sort of different Barzal is just laughable. It's the same player playing the same way he played his Calder year. Maybe some better decisions yes, but the confidence is clearly back.

He also made a conscious decision to take it one shift at a time and give it 110% night in and night out.

 

[Rehabguy]

He also made a conscious decision to take it one shift at a time and give it 110% night in and night out.

That's fine. People do that when they have confidence. This is the Barzal we saw when he entered the league.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

He also made a conscious decision to take it one shift at a time and give it 110% night in and night out.

Maybe he decided that he cares and to bleed blue and orange.

 

[Zeeker]

Maybe he decided that he cares and to bleed blue and orange.

I think he just decided that when you put pucks on the net, good things happen.

 

[Rehabguy]

I think he just decided that when you put pucks on the net, good things happen.

Confidence my friend confidence.

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

I think he just decided that when you put pucks on the net, good things happen.

I also see him working hard out there and moving his feet.

 

[MJF]

He also made a conscious decision to take it one shift at a time and give it 110% night in and night out.

He’s just trying to give it his best shot and the good lord willing, things will work out.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains.

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

He’s just trying to give it his best shot and the good lord willing, things will work out.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains.

As a great coach once said, it is what it is.

 

[CupHolders]

Nah. I just see things as they are and take people for their word. If he says it was simply a confidence thing why doubt him?

Oh sure. No one would doubt he feels more confidence. But for all the grief we give Butch Goring, he is one of the few individuals who has earned the right to his opinion in understanding professional hockey players.

As he always says, move your feet… you start to play better… get a point or goal… you start to feel better about your game.

Confidence is a bit of a “chicken and egg thing.”

Regardless, if Barzal plays the way he has been playing he would do well in any system with any coach. Be cause it’s a more simplified game that is easily transferable because of his tremendous skill set.

 

[Rehabguy]

Oh sure. No one would doubt he feels more confidence. But for all the grief we give Butch Goring, he is one of the few individuals who has earned the right to his opinion in understanding professional hockey players.

As he always says, move your feet… you start to play better… get a point or goal… you start to feel better about your game.

Confidence is a bit of a “chicken and egg thing.”

Regardless, if Barzal plays the way he has been playing he would do well in any system with any coach. Be cause it’s a more simplified game that is easily transferable because of his tremendous skill set.

I agree. Where was this kid the past 4 years? So good to have him back.

 

[doublechili]

Josh Bailey had 71 points in 76 games the year before Trotz was hired.

I think we should bring him back on a PTO - maybe he'll be unleashed now too.