Player Discussion: Mathew Barzal

[Thrasymachus]

Sharks fan here who doesn't watch any Islanders games but had a question on Barzal. Is he uncoachable? Selfish? Poor defensively? We have a poster who rips him all day on our board and I'm curious what fans of the team he plays for actually thinks of him from a personality/coachability perspective. Is he a one-dimensional offensive forward?

Sounds like that poster is just upset you guys passed on him. Barzal's play has dipped slightly this season but he is nevertheless our most dynamic player, hardly uncoachable. His game is all about puck possession so I guess you could call that "selfish" but it honestly helps the team more than it hinders us. He is the straw that stirs the drink for sure.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Sounds like that poster is just upset you guys passed on him. Barzal's play has dipped slightly this season but he is nevertheless our most dynamic player, hardly uncoachable. His game is all about puck possession so I guess you could call that "selfish" but it honestly helps the team more than it hinders us. He is the straw that stirs the drink for sure.

I don't even know if dipped is correct, it's just needing an adjustment for a new correct system and a left winger that can work well. I'm fine wth Beau struggling because he's a notorious slow starter and a kid but call a spade a spade with Barzals five on five linemates.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

I'm sure every coach he's ever had has told him to shoot more and he refuses to do so, so maybe he is uncoachable

 

[Instant]

Sharks fan here who doesn't watch any Islanders games but had a question on Barzal. Is he uncoachable? Selfish? Poor defensively? We have a poster who rips him all day on our board and I'm curious what fans of the team he plays for actually thinks of him from a personality/coachability perspective. Is he a one-dimensional offensive forward?

Barzal? He's young, talented and hard-working. And fun. So, so much fun to watch.

Definitely not selfish nor uncoachable - I'd say he's the exact opposite (though he did get a real NHL coach not that long ago). He still has a shit ton to learn and improve his game, but it looks like he's willing to work on it. Personality wise? A really good guy, ambitious, pretty humble.

I wouldn't say he's a one-dimensional offensive forward. He's got a good head on his shoulders and only one year of Doug Weight's coaching to un-learn. I doubt he'll be another version of Bergeron, but I expect him to be at least defensively sound.

I don't know why anyone would say a bad thing about this guy, truly.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Barzal is figuring it out under a new coach. Trotz wants his players to play a certain way. For Barzal to have 13 points as the #1C in only his 2nd season at this point, is very positive.

The one thing Barzal has in his favour is his skating, He is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL(FYI having a lively discussion here with a poster that tried telling me Barzal is a no better skater than Marner, LOL if you guys want to laugh too. https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/barzal-vs-marner.2565049/page-8#post-151894645). He's going to be fine as long as this is the case. The best is still yet to come.

Once he gets what Trotz wants, and once he adjusts to being the #1C. Or he gets more support for wingers and a #2C. Barzy has just skimmed the surface of the kind of player he can be.

 

[scott99]

Barzal is figuring it out under a new coach. Trotz wants his players to play a certain way. For Barzal to have 13 points as the #1C in only his 2nd season at this point, is very positive.

The one thing Barzal has in his favour is his skating, He is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL(FYI having a lively discussion here with a poster that tried telling me Barzal is a no better skater than Marner, LOL if you guys want to laugh too. https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/barzal-vs-marner.2565049/page-8#post-151894645). He's going to be fine as long as this is the case. The best is still yet to come.

Once he gets what Trotz wants, and once he adjusts to being the #1C. Or he gets more support for wingers and a #2C. Barzy has just skimmed the surface of the kind of player he can be.

One of Ovechkin's worst years offensively (goal wise), was Trotz's 2nd season coaching the Capitals. Sometimes it takes a while to get the systems down. It's only Barzal's 2nd season overall, I think the points will come. If he was producing as poorly as Beauvillier, I'd be worried, but he has 13 points.

 

[PWJunior]

Barzal is figuring it out under a new coach. Trotz wants his players to play a certain way. For Barzal to have 13 points as the #1C in only his 2nd season at this point, is very positive.

The one thing Barzal has in his favour is his skating, He is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL(FYI having a lively discussion here with a poster that tried telling me Barzal is a no better skater than Marner, LOL if you guys want to laugh too. https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/barzal-vs-marner.2565049/page-8#post-151894645). He's going to be fine as long as this is the case. The best is still yet to come.

Once he gets what Trotz wants, and once he adjusts to being the #1C. Or he gets more support for wingers and a #2C. Barzy has just skimmed the surface of the kind of player he can be.

The same group of butt hurt Leaf fans taking over that thread. Not worth the effort, same shit different day.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

The same group of butt hurt Leaf fans taking over that thread. Not worth the effort, same **** different day.

Yeah I agree PW, it is easy to ignore the butt hurt the Leafs fans have when it comes to Barzal shellacking Marner last season. Today is a day we just focused on skating. It was an easy point to defend when delusional posters try selling Marner is in the same tier as skaters as Barzal. Too much nonsense there.

 

[steveat]

Barzal is figuring it out under a new coach. Trotz wants his players to play a certain way. For Barzal to have 13 points as the #1C in only his 2nd season at this point, is very positive.

The one thing Barzal has in his favour is his skating, He is in the top 1% of skaters in the NHL(FYI having a lively discussion here with a poster that tried telling me Barzal is a no better skater than Marner, LOL if you guys want to laugh too. https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/barzal-vs-marner.2565049/page-8#post-151894645). He's going to be fine as long as this is the case. The best is still yet to come.

Once he gets what Trotz wants, and once he adjusts to being the #1C. Or he gets more support for wingers and a #2C. Barzy has just skimmed the surface of the kind of player he can be.

He is being played as 2c..Nelson is the default 1c right now. Trotz is protecting him from too much exposure. Sooo..technically, 13 points as a 2c.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Sharks fan here who doesn't watch any Islanders games but had a question on Barzal. Is he uncoachable? Selfish? Poor defensively? We have a poster who rips him all day on our board and I'm curious what fans of the team he plays for actually thinks of him from a personality/coachability perspective. Is he a one-dimensional offensive forward?

I’m just wondering why this poster is so focused on Barzal?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

He is being played as 2c..Nelson is the default 1c right now. Trotz is protecting him from too much exposure. Sooo..technically, 13 points as a 2c.

Didn't Barzal play with Lee and Bailey last game? The only reason Barzal is playing with Eberle and Beauvillier this year was Trotz was trying to get some scoring balance. But Beauvillier has been bad. Barzal is the #1 C. I don't agree, and I did notice your comment of sending both Barzal and Beauvillier down to the AHL. You may be half right. I don't know if you are joking. But it does make me question your opinion if you are serious of sending down a 85 pts center with the Isles in 2nd in the Metro Division.

 

[steveat]

Didn't Barzal play with Lee and Bailey last game? The only reason Barzal is playing with Eberle and Beauvillier this year was Trotz was trying to get some scoring balance. But Beauvillier has been bad. Barzal is the #1 C. I don't agree, and I did notice your comment of sending both Barzal and Beauvillier down to the AHL. You may be half right. I don't know if you are joking. But it does make me question your opinion if you are serious of sending down a 85 pts center with the Isles in 2nd in the Metro Division.

That is true. The first half of the game...nothing was working, so Trotz swapped centres and also put Beau on the 4th line..Tito is having a rough time...it always takes him sooo long to get his head out of his ass. What I don't remember was if the line makeup was still the same. Was Barzal playing with Lee and Bails as a second unit or a first...?

Was joking about sending Barzal down...Beau..that wasn't a joke (he needs a kick in the pants)

 

[Strait2thecup]

Excited to see him play with bailey and Lee tbh

 

[ScaredStreit]

Barzal needs to get the puck on net more. Yes he does a great job setting up plays, but let's be honest we all know he's passing, which means the other team all know he's passing. Getting some more shots on net would really be beneficial imo.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Barzal needs to get the puck on net more. Yes he does a great job setting up plays, but let's be honest we all know he's passing, which means the other team all know he's passing. Getting some more shots on net would really be beneficial imo.

I would be interested to see how another playmaker playing with Barzal would look. If you put a sniper with Barzal, the opposition may play the pass heavy still, but if you have another slick passer it may open up more space for Barzal. Bailey and Barzal have little chemistry so I would keep the Lee-Nelson-Bailey line together.

 

[dlawong]

Right now I think his problem is because his line-mates are not doing enough to get into scoring position and finish the shots. He is just trying to do too much by himself and that usually would leads to problem. He need to have confidence of his line-mates will go to the scoring area (normally front of the net) so he can dish those good passes in the right area. When he can't find others open he will hang on the puck too long and that is how he will get checked. So if you solve his line-mates then he will be way more effective. Yes he may need to shoot more as well and work hard during practice to improve his shots but I still think his best asset is his passing so he should not switch. I watched enough Henry Sedin in Vancouver to know that Sedin is such a wizard in passing he will always elect to pass first and that has worked out really well for him over the years. Thus Barzal need to have a Daniel Sedin type of guys on his line.

 

[dlawong]

Right now I think his problem is because his line-mates are not doing enough to get into scoring position and finish the shots. He is just trying to do too much by himself and that usually would leads to problem. He need to have confidence of his line-mates will go to the scoring area (normally front of the net) so he can dish those good passes in the right area. When he can't find others open he will hang on the puck too long and that is how he will get checked. So if you solve his line-mates then he will be way more effective. Yes he may need to shoot more as well and work hard during practice to improve his shots but I still think his best asset is his passing so he should not switch. I watched enough Henry Sedin in Vancouver to know that Sedin is such a wizard in passing he will always elect to pass first and that has worked out really well for him over the years. Thus Barzal need to have a Daniel Sedin type of guys on his line period.

 

[Bood12]

Sharks fan here who doesn't watch any Islanders games but had a question on Barzal. Is he uncoachable? Selfish? Poor defensively? We have a poster who rips him all day on our board and I'm curious what fans of the team he plays for actually thinks of him from a personality/coachability perspective. Is he a one-dimensional offensive forward?

I do not know about "unchoachable" but I do know this team would be "unwatchable" if he is not on the ice

 

[buud]

i don't think that him with Lee and Bailey is the best for him, but it's the best we have right now. too much passing with both Bailey and Barzal on the same line, but it looks like Trotz is trying to get Barzal and Bailey to shoot a bit more. it may work, idk.

would love to see Wahlstrom on Mat's right, next year. not that he earned it (so far), but IMO, he i exactly the style of player that is needed for that line.

i think Mat has been better the past few games. shooting more, passing earlier, not trying to do too much. i love Mat and all he has, and think that he is best suited to skate with wingers that are big, fast, shooters.

 

[YearlyLottery]

i don't think that him with Lee and Bailey is the best for him, but it's the best we have right now. too much passing with both Bailey and Barzal on the same line, but it looks like Trotz is trying to get Barzal and Bailey to shoot a bit more. it may work, idk.

would love to see Wahlstrom on Mat's right, next year. not that he earned it (so far), but IMO, he i exactly the style of player that is needed for that line.

i think Mat has been better the past few games. shooting more, passing earlier, not trying to do too much. i love Mat and all he has, and think that he is best suited to skate with wingers that are big, fast, shooters.

The Islanders got awfully lucky that Dobson and Wahlstrom fell to them in the draft. Lee and Bailey work best with Nelson. The conversation needs to be had soon if Nelson is a thirty goal scorer do we lock him up?

Eberle also works great with Barzal, but they need a third person on that line. The Isles have a luxury of having JHS, Bellows, and MDC down in the minors to call up for top six minutes. If they call up JHS the may do something like this:

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
JHS-Nelson-Bailey

I'm sure I got one of the winger positions wrong, but you get the point. They do have options.

 

[buud]

The Islanders got awfully lucky that Dobson and Wahlstrom fell to them in the draft. Lee and Bailey work best with Nelson. The conversation needs to be had soon if Nelson is a thirty goal scorer do we lock him up?

Eberle also works great with Barzal, but they need a third person on that line. The Isles have a luxury of having JHS, Bellows, and MDC down in the minors to call up for top six minutes. If they call up JHS the may do something like this:

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
JHS-Nelson-Bailey

I'm sure I got one of the winger positions wrong, but you get the point. They do have options.

i am leaning toward Eberle being gone. he is pretty good with Mat, but unless he takes a cut in pay, i say trade him.

same with Nelson. i am happy that he is playing inspired this year, but for what he will want, i say trade him too.

JHS isn't needed right now, with Bailey and Eberle outplaying him. if we were desperate for scoring, yeah, sure. seems like he is becoming a PP specialist.

i think we can do better.

i am going to make a bold prediction that we have 3 new players in our top 6, as early as February.

 

[TommytheCat]

was at the glass in warmups last night ... barz is a cool dude ... was asking little kids “ u want one , u want one , and throwing pucks to them ... was in the 9th row and seeing his speed in person on that goal ... wow

 

[Newsworthy]

was at the glass in warmups last night ... barz is a cool dude ... was asking little kids “ u want one , u want one , and throwing pucks to them ... was in the 9th row and seeing his speed in person on that goal ... wow

I was at the Panthers game also. Barzal looked very good. Probably his best game I've seen all year.

 

[Konk]

Sharks fan here who doesn't watch any Islanders games but had a question on Barzal. Is he uncoachable? Selfish? Poor defensively? We have a poster who rips him all day on our board and I'm curious what fans of the team he plays for actually thinks of him from a personality/coachability perspective. Is he a one-dimensional offensive forward?

I had to go read it for myself. That guy is a f***ing idiot and he appears to be making shit up just to bash Barzal. Almost nothing he says is true.

Quite a twatwaffle you guys got over there.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Am I the only one who has been generally pleased with his game? He needs to be better on faceoffs and defensively, but he's been making things happen often.