Newsday: Mathew Barzal, Islanders put John Tavares in the rearview mirror

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The Winter Soldier

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Mathew Barzal, Islanders put John Tavares in the rearview mirror

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated September 13, 2018 5:41 PM


“John is a great player and it’s tough to replace him but now that’s over with and we’ve got to look ahead,” Barzal, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in June, said on Thursday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “Yeah, I’m excited for the challenge and we’ve got a lot of other guys here that I’m assuming are excited to fill a bigger role and maybe get some more power-play time or some more ice time. A lot of guys are going to have to step up.”

I am loving what I am reading. I know it is better to temper expectations. But I am expecting a career year for Barzal this season. I am looking for him even being better this season knowing the player Barzal is. It isn't just the points, but I think he is going to take a leadership role on and off the ice. This I know, Barzal has not let his fans down yet, I know he is not going to stop improving. He is going to do all he can do to help the Isles improve this season.

 

The Winter Soldier

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Barzal excited about the changes, the challenge and a bigger role with the team. Also rocking a new haircut.

 

Quickdraw2828

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Meanwhile, the Leafs gave Johnny Pajamas a letter and stiffed Matthews.

This is perfect... let the controversy begin. If JT was smart he would have turned it down and suggested Matthews wear it. But then again, this is a guy who thinks he'll be cheered when he returns.:laugh:
 

The Winter Soldier

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Well, it will probably either be his best year in the NHL or his worst.

I am going to be cautiously optimistic. I have to think Trotz is a better coach than Weight. Who I do credit in allowing Barzal enough trust to succeed last year. Barzal is going to improve. His 2nd season he will be the main focus as he was already beginning to be in the 2nd half of last season. And all he did was increase his points under those conditions. The premise of my thinking here is if Barzal takes another step fwd this season, the Isles may be competing for a playoff spot. There may be reason for promise this year.
 
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Quickdraw2828

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Lots of people think Barzal will struggle because he'll face better defenseman or the league will figure him out. Forget about it, I'll excuse fans of other teams for making such assumptions, but Islanders fans who watched him play should know
players with skills like Barzal come around once or twice every five years. His skating is unbelievable and his ability to keep space between himself and defenders makes me wonder if he made a deal with the devil. He'll be considered a top ten offensive player at the end of next season.
 

The Winter Soldier

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Lots of people think Barzal will struggle because he'll face better defenseman or the league will figure him out. Forget about it, I'll excuse fans of other teams for making such assumptions, but Islanders fans who watched him play should know
players with skills like Barzal come around once or twice every five years. His skating is unbelievable and his ability to keep space between himself and defenders makes me wonder if he made a deal with the devil. He'll be considered a top ten offensive player at the end of next season.
This is the way I see it QuickDraw. When you are as talented as Barzal, players usually progress rather then regress. Or at the very most are in the same area of production. 10pts north or south of 85pts. He is going to get more attention but he is also going to be better. I like the attitude though. He is excited on the opportunities of more ice time and perhaps a leadership role. Isles are lucky he was there at #16 in the draft. I can't imagine how it would look without #13,
 

ThreeLeftSkates

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If we did not have this guy, I cannot imagine what the gloom and doom would be like here.
I am excited to see what he does with the new coaching staff, and truly look forward to not seeing PB during 3 on 3's and shoot outs.
 

Goombha

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Mathew Barzal, Islanders put John Tavares in the rearview mirror

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated September 13, 2018 5:41 PM




I am loving what I am reading. I know it is better to temper expectations. But I am expecting a career year for Barzal this season. I am looking for him even being better this season knowing the player Barzal is. It isn't just the points, but I think he is going to take a leadership role on and off the ice. This I know, Barzal has not let his fans down yet, I know he is not going to stop improving. He is going to do all he can do to help the Isles improve this season.



Isn't that a photo of Matt Martin?
 
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LeapOnOver

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Lots of people think Barzal will struggle because he'll face better defenseman or the league will figure him out. Forget about it, I'll excuse fans of other teams for making such assumptions, but Islanders fans who watched him play should know
players with skills like Barzal come around once or twice every five years. His skating is unbelievable and his ability to keep space between himself and defenders makes me wonder if he made a deal with the devil. He'll be considered a top ten offensive player at the end of next season.

Except this isn't basketball. Barzal is still going to need to have people to put the puck in the net since he's not really a scorer. I anticipate he may "look" like an even better player, yet not reach the point totals he did last season. That's my two cents.
 

Sidney the Kidney

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Except this isn't basketball. Barzal is still going to need to have people to put the puck in the net since he's not really a scorer. I anticipate he may "look" like an even better player, yet not reach the point totals he did last season. That's my two cents.

He's got his same linemates returning, though. So it's not like the guys who helped him get all those assists last year aren't still around. In the case of someone like Beauvillier, those goal totals might go up, compensating for whatever assists Barzal got on Tavares' goals.
 
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LeapOnOver

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He's got his same linemates returning, though. So it's not like the guys who helped him get all those assists last year aren't still around. In the case of someone like Beauvillier, those goal totals might go up, compensating for whatever assists Barzal got on Tavares' goals.

Yes and no. He got points on the PP thanks to Tr91tor and two guys to look out for on the ice. Also everyone is talking about Barzal facing stiffer competition, but let's not forget Beauvillier is going to have to adjust if he continues to be a linemate of his.

In the end there are way more factors to say he'll have less points than the one factor that says he'll be even better (he's just good).
 

Sidney the Kidney

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Yes and no. He got points on the PP thanks to Tr91tor and two guys to look out for on the ice. Also everyone is talking about Barzal facing stiffer competition, but let's not forget Beauvillier is going to have to adjust if he continues to be a linemate of his.

In the end there are way more factors to say he'll have less points than the one factor that says he'll be even better (he's just good).

I know it's not scientific or provable by some advanced stat metric, but I think the fact elite players tend to improve when given a more prominent role works in his favor.

If you look at guys who came along in sheltered minutes, but then get thrust in the role of 1C either via departure of the previous 1C or just because they surpassed them, I can't think of any who regressed (statistically). Giroux didn't suddenly drop in points after Carter and Richards were traded and he was thrust into Philly's 1C spot. Getzlaf's numbers went up when he went from 2C to 1C. Stamkos started scoring 50+ goals when he went from sheltered rookie to his team's 1C.

IMO, the only time you see any sort of regression is if the player had a fluky rookie season in a sheltered role, and in reality, they're not that good. So when they suddenly have to be the top line guy, they falter because they're just not equipped for that spot. I don't think that applies to Barzal. I think he'll establish himself as an elite player this year, both in terms of how he looks to the eye and in terms of production.
 

PWJunior

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I know it's not scientific or provable by some advanced stat metric, but I think the fact elite players tend to improve when given a more prominent role works in his favor.

If you look at guys who came along in sheltered minutes, but then get thrust in the role of 1C either via departure of the previous 1C or just because they surpassed them, I can't think of any who regressed (statistically). Giroux didn't suddenly drop in points after Carter and Richards were traded and he was thrust into Philly's 1C spot. Getzlaf's numbers went up when he went from 2C to 1C. Stamkos started scoring 50+ goals when he went from sheltered rookie to his team's 1C.

IMO, the only time you see any sort of regression is if the player had a fluky rookie season in a sheltered role, and in reality, they're not that good. So when they suddenly have to be the top line guy, they falter because they're just not equipped for that spot. I don't think that applies to Barzal. I think he'll establish himself as an elite player this year, both in terms of how he looks to the eye and in terms of production.

Barzal for Art Ross! Barzal for Hart! Barzal for Lindsay!

Watch the kid win the triple crown. :)
 

LeapOnOver

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I know it's not scientific or provable by some advanced stat metric, but I think the fact elite players tend to improve when given a more prominent role works in his favor.

If you look at guys who came along in sheltered minutes, but then get thrust in the role of 1C either via departure of the previous 1C or just because they surpassed them, I can't think of any who regressed (statistically). Giroux didn't suddenly drop in points after Carter and Richards were traded and he was thrust into Philly's 1C spot. Getzlaf's numbers went up when he went from 2C to 1C. Stamkos started scoring 50+ goals when he went from sheltered rookie to his team's 1C.

IMO, the only time you see any sort of regression is if the player had a fluky rookie season in a sheltered role, and in reality, they're not that good. So when they suddenly have to be the top line guy, they falter because they're just not equipped for that spot. I don't think that applies to Barzal. I think he'll establish himself as an elite player this year, both in terms of how he looks to the eye and in terms of production.

Well, to be fair I did say that Barzal will probably be better on the ice, but have less points. I didn't actually speak of a regression, just less point totals due to a weaker offense and what i'm imagining is going to be a pretty dedicated focus on defense from the beginning of the season. I don't think Barzal is a fluke, nor will he regress. I just think his actual point totals won't be the same.
 

Sidney the Kidney

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Well, to be fair I did say that Barzal will probably be better on the ice, but have less points. I didn't actually speak of a regression, just less point totals due to a weaker offense and what i'm imagining is going to be a pretty dedicated focus on defense from the beginning of the season. I don't think Barzal is a fluke, nor will he regress. I just think his actual point totals won't be the same.

I know that's what you said. Apologies if I made it sound like you didn't. What I was saying is, I don't think you'll even see a regression in actual point totals because, as I said, most players with elite potential tend to go up in production when thrust into the #1 role, not down.

In other words, Barzal would have to be an anomaly among players who've shown elite potential. Because the vast majority of them (I can only think of MacKinnon as someone who regressed statistically) go up with more responsibility, not down.
 

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My guess in terms of Barzal points is we will see an increase in Power Play, 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 points countered by a decrease in 5 on 5 points
 

Brunomics

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Yes and no. He got points on the PP thanks to Tr91tor and two guys to look out for on the ice. Also everyone is talking about Barzal facing stiffer competition, but let's not forget Beauvillier is going to have to adjust if he continues to be a linemate of his.

In the end there are way more factors to say he'll have less points than the one factor that says he'll be even better (he's just good).

If Beau is Barzal's running mate again this year I see 30-35 goals. Those two just have "it".
 

Brunomics

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My guess in terms of Barzal points is we will see an increase in Power Play, 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 points countered by a decrease in 5 on 5 points

The only way his 5 on 5 points decrease is because of the system Trotz implements. Other than that I don't see it.

Personally I don't care what the match-ups are when he's on the ice. The guy skates so f***ing well that anyone not named Karlsson has a hard time keeping pace with him. Combine that with Beauvillier who is a buzzsaw and Eberle.
 

boredmale

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The only way his 5 on 5 points decrease is because of the system Trotz implements. Other than that I don't see it.

I think a combination of system and tougher matchups(and yes I know Barzal had tough matchups last season but this season he will get them 99% of the time as opposed to 50%)
 

The Winter Soldier

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What will be interesting is how Trotz deploys Barzal this year?

If I were him, I would flip him on occasion every 2nd shift depending on the situation like this.

Lee Barzal Bailey
Eberle Barzal Beauvillier

Keep opposing Coaches off balance with match ups.

Trotz is an experienced coach, he will find ways to get Barzal in prime scoring opportunities. This is why I am excited this season in watching the Isles. The mins Judas used to play, will fall on Barzal. If you are a Barzal fan, you are going to see a lot of him this season.

With his talent, there's a good chance he is going to be all over the highlights this season.
 
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