Mathew Barzal Benched: He knows why
- Thread starter Khelandros
- Start date
SI90
Registered User
Sweet Leaf
Registered User
I think you can turn an average defensive centre into a good defensive centre and a bad defensive centre into an average defensive centre.
I don't think Barzal will ever be a "good" defensive center.
Regardless, as I've said a few times, it's too bad the Isles need him at Centre so bad because in a lot of places he'd be a high flying 85-90 point winger right now and the narrative would be totally different around him.
As a centre, he needs to be on a sheltered scoring line right now. I feel like the Islanders are just exposing him.
I don't think Barzal will ever be a "good" defensive center.
Regardless, as I've said a few times, it's too bad the Isles need him at Centre so bad because in a lot of places he'd be a high flying 85-90 point winger right now and the narrative would be totally different around him.
As a centre, he needs to be on a sheltered scoring line right now. I feel like the Islanders are just exposing him.
Sweet Leaf
Registered User
It's not very complicated. He's a terrible face off man, often looks overmatched below the dots in his own zone, and isn't an instinctual defensive player. In an ideal situation, I think you'd start him in the NHL at wing or as a sheltered offensive center while he is working on those other parts of his game. It's not like starting a young guy at wing and moving him to center later is a crazy anomolous thing.
I'm not advocating this for the Islanders as their organizational needs require him to play center.
His face offs are terrible for sure however, it’s crazy to say he needs to be sheltered when he was basically thrown to the wolves in his second season and led a top 5 team in scoring and will do the same this year (although maybe not a top 5 finish this time). Being overmatched below the dots isn’t his problem, it’s commitment that’s sometimes an issue
watching the games I get why he presses sometimes though. Anders Lee is great but passing to his point in the offensive zone is a free keep for opposing teams which really doesn’t help. I think he’d be more committed on defense if he played with a guy that could move the puck
Last edited:
SI90
Registered User
Sidney the Kidney
One last time
- Jun 29, 2009
- 55,708
- 46,622
Barzal clearly wants out.
To Pens: Barzal
To Isles: Galchenyuk + Bjugstad + Conditional 5th
Well the Isle pay their guys well for the production. 60-70 pts on Isle is like 80-90 anywhere else
SI90
Registered User
PWJunior
Stay safe!
Konk
Registered User
- Mar 11, 2008
- 4,726
- 2,665
He's super cereal. STK is known for his outlandish trade proposals that are totally lopsided in the Pens favor.
Konk
Registered User
- Mar 11, 2008
- 4,726
- 2,665
Shhhh damnit let's throw him under the bus. It'll be fun.
Trotz is a great coach, and it’s no accident that his teams are so phenomenal defensively, he has great systems and demands that everyone buy in 100%. I’m sure it wasn’t just one play, he’s probably seen that Barzal has been making too many selfish/risky plays in general, and that turnover was just the final straw.
You can bet he has Barzal’s attention now. I fully expect Barzal to take Trotz’s words to heart, play the way Trotz wants him to, and this’ll blow over.
You can bet he has Barzal’s attention now. I fully expect Barzal to take Trotz’s words to heart, play the way Trotz wants him to, and this’ll blow over.
Michael HOMERUNing
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2019
- 2,497
- 2,373
That's what he was benched for?! 90% of talented players do that at least a couple times a night
islesfan186
YES! YES! YES!
That was probably more of the straw that broke the camels back. Barzal has a tendency to not keep it simple and likes to make some high risk plays instead of the smart play. The isles have not been playing good hockey the last few weeks and with them actually winning the game at that point, Trotz probably figured now was the time to finally send the message. Just my guess though
Michael HOMERUNing
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2019
- 2,497
- 2,373
I mean, Matthews lost ice time to Patrick frickin Marleau in the most important game of the season
CupHolders
Really Fries My Bananas!
- Aug 8, 2006
- 7,486
- 5,780
Context matters... Last week the Isles lost two games in regulation, after they gave up the lead with less than three minutes. One of those games they were leading Washington by three goals at the start of the third. The Isles kind of hit a wall with 7 games in 11 days, and started to make too many mental errors.
Trotz, basically went into lock-down mode for this final game before break. Clearly, the expectation was the Isles stop shooting themselves in the foot. Which almost happened anyway, thanks to
