Player Discussion: Mathew Barzal

[The Winter Soldier]

I know this, I predict Barzal to hit 100 points atleast once in his career. He has that type of potential to do it.

 

[Thrasymachus]

I know this, I predict Barzal to hit 100 points atleast once in his career. He has that type of potential to do it.

if that were to happen we need a Neely for his Oates

 

[The Winter Soldier]

if that were to happen we need a Neely for his Oates

Maybe Wahlstrom, Bellows, or a player that is not yet determined.

I look at it this way, he played half a season with Ladd, up until last season a 9 goal scorer in Beauvillier, and Eberle who was rejuvenated playing with Matty the Sturgeon. If he can put up 63 assists with those players as wingers. If there is a Hull on the horizon, 100 is very much in reach.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Maybe Wahlstrom, Bellows, or a player that is not yet determined.

I look at it this way, he played half a season with Ladd, up until last season a 9 goal scorer in Beauvillier, and Eberle who was rejuvenated playing with Matty the Sturgeon. If he can put up 63 assists with those players as wingers. If there is a Hull on the horizon, 100 is very much in reach.

Ideally in the next few years I could see our top line being:

Bellows - The Sturgeon - Wahlstrom

The American wingers + Barzal could rack up a ton of points. Of course that is all speculation, at the moment he has proven chemistry with Eberle and Beavullier. Although frankly he looks good with and improves the play of whoever his wingers are. I would love to see him play with Lee - Barzal speeds into the o-zone, does a lap or two while Lee lumbers into posistion... then you get Barzal to dish some sauce Anders way, he knows what to do

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Ideally in the next few years I could see our top line being:

Bellows - The Sturgeon - Wahlstrom

The American wingers + Barzal could rack up a ton of points. Of course that is all speculation, at the moment he has proven chemistry with Eberle and Beavullier. Although frankly he looks good with and improves the play of whoever his wingers are. I would love to see him play with Lee - Barzal speeds into the o-zone, does a lap or two while Lee lumbers into posistion... then you get Barzal to dish some sauce Anders way, he knows what to do

The Sturgeon. Has a ring to it.

 

[buud]

Maybe Wahlstrom, Bellows, or a player that is not yet determined.

I look at it this way, he played half a season with Ladd, up until last season a 9 goal scorer in Beauvillier, and Eberle who was rejuvenated playing with Matty the Sturgeon. If he can put up 63 assists with those players as wingers. If there is a Hull on the horizon, 100 is very much in reach.

i was going to say something similar. people (mostly detractors) go off about Barzal being sheltered last year, but don't think about his questionable line-mates.

i love Beau, but really, he was struggling for half a year. and Eberle is good, but i saw Barzal lifting him up, and not the other way around.

Barzal is certainly a wild card in my eyes. no doubting his talent, but all other things seem to be quite foggy right now. i bet he will always be a top line player, but just HOW good he will be, is TBD.

LL and Trotz are going to be so great for this team.

 

[buud]

Barzal’s point total will be 94. But Since two of his games will be 5 point games, he’ll only get credit for 84 points. Moreover, the point decrease from last year will prove conclusively that he is in a tailspin of regression.

i predict that the entire team will have lower offensive numbers, but MUCH better defensive numbers.

Sturgeon is a cool name. but i prefer 'samurai'. he dissects opponents with speed and precision, disappearing with the same ghostly efficiency, as he appears. and he dresses cool

19 goals, 59 assists, 11 PIMs, + 21.

 

[Brunomics]

if that were to happen we need a Neely for his Oates

Beauvillier will score 40 if he plays consistently with him.

 

[Brunomics]

i was going to say something similar. people (mostly detractors) go off about Barzal being sheltered last year, but don't think about his questionable line-mates.

i love Beau, but really, he was struggling for half a year. and Eberle is good, but i saw Barzal lifting him up, and not the other way around.

Barzal is certainly a wild card in my eyes. no doubting his talent, but all other things seem to be quite foggy right now. i bet he will always be a top line player, but just HOW good he will be, is TBD.

LL and Trotz are going to be so great for this team.

I attribute his issues in the first half with him not being utilized correctly.

 

[DarkHorse2]

90+

why not...the Kid is for real and that epic line will, unlike last year, start the season together.

But will it?

Barzal is our number one center, undoubtedly, but Lee is our number one LW, and Bailey is arguably our number one RW. Someone has to play second line center (I'm not throwing my hope on Kovar yet) and the main candidates are Beau and Bailey. So the odds are against the BBE staying together, even though that would be the most "guaranteed" production.

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
Beau-Bailey-Ho-Sang
Ladd-Nelson-Komarov
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Plus Filppula and Kovar

 

[Axel574]

But will it?

Barzal is our number one center, undoubtedly, but Lee is our number one LW, and Bailey is arguably our number one RW. Someone has to play second line center (I'm not throwing my hope on Kovar yet) and the main candidates are Beau and Bailey. So the odds are against the BBE staying together, even though that would be the most "guaranteed" production.

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
Beau-Bailey-Ho-Sang
Ladd-Nelson-Komarov
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Plus Filppula and Kovar

Can't say I agree with any of this... putting Bailey back at the pivot seems like mistake to me, he was very effective making plays on the wing. Why mess with that? That third line makes me want to wretch ...

Tito-Brazal-Eberle
Lee-Nelson-Bailey
Ladd-Kovar/Filpulla-Ho-Sang

4th line is anchored by Casey but I suspect we will see some significant shuffling at the wings.

Clearly this team is in dire need of an effective 2nd line center... Hope somebody can step up.

 

[buud]

I attribute his issues in the first half with him not being utilized correctly.

i do too. FYI, i am not dissing Beau, just stating that Barzal did not have the best line mates, so while he did not get the top line against his, his line was no where near a legit 1st line.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Going fwd. Wahlstrom may be Barzal's winger, Trotz had the option of Backstrom/Kuzy with Ovie. By all indications Oliver looks like a special sniper, and we already know Barzal is a special playmaker.

Bellows this year in the AHL or NHL will be interesting. I am more sure on Wahlstrom being a NHL sniper than Bellows, but Bellows can also put the puck in the net. We shall see.

But I have a feeling Barzal's worst linemates may be his first 2 seasons. And he already got 85 pts. What a future to look fwd to.

 

[blinkman360]

But will it?

Barzal is our number one center, undoubtedly, but Lee is our number one LW, and Bailey is arguably our number one RW. Someone has to play second line center (I'm not throwing my hope on Kovar yet) and the main candidates are Beau and Bailey. So the odds are against the BBE staying together, even though that would be the most "guaranteed" production.

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
Beau-Bailey-Ho-Sang
Ladd-Nelson-Komarov
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Plus Filppula and Kovar

Can't say I agree with any of this... putting Bailey back at the pivot seems like mistake to me, he was very effective making plays on the wing. Why mess with that? That third line makes me want to wretch ...

Tito-Brazal-Eberle
Lee-Nelson-Bailey
Ladd-Kovar/Filpulla-Ho-Sang

4th line is anchored by Casey but I suspect we will see some significant shuffling at the wings.

Clearly this team is in dire need of an effective 2nd line center... Hope somebody can step up.

I don't have a problem with trying Bailey at 2C to start the year. My problem would be making that decision yet still deciding to move Beauvillier away from that top line. It makes no sense to me. You know the top unit has chemistry, and you know Lee and Bailey have chemistry. The logical move would be to find a RW that can fit with that duo - whether it's Kovar or Ho-Sang or someone else. Even if the argument is that Lee and Bailey are our best offensive players outside of Barzal, that's even more of a reason to keep them separated - spread out the offense a bit.

We know what works(Beau, Barzal, Eberle); we know that Bailey and Lee can play together. Why mess with that?

 

[Keyserfrans]

He's gonna beat 91 easily

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Here we go again Isles fans. The mainboard with the usual suspects are at it again trying to bring down Barzal. No worries, I am there to set the record straight.

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...ck-next-season.2504505/page-21#post-148871651

 

[Metnut]

Really hope that a sold out Coliseum can chant "Barzal's better" all night while booing Tavares every time he touches the pick.

 

[MIK55]

Bellows - The Sturgeon - Wahlstrom

Love the nickname. Are they gonna make number 13 fishsticks jerseys?

 

[Thrasymachus]

Really hope that a sold out Coliseum can chant "Barzal's better" all night while booing Tavares every time he touches the pick.

Unfortunately I believe Tavares only plays us in Brooklyn this year

 

[crasherino]

Unfortunately I believe Tavares only plays us in Brooklyn this year

Feb 28th in Brooklyn/ April 1st in Nassau.

Not that I have it marked on my calendar or nuthin'

 

[PWJunior]

Here we go again Isles fans. The mainboard with the usual suspects are at it again trying to bring down Barzal. No worries, I am there to set the record straight.

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...ck-next-season.2504505/page-21#post-148871651

It's amazing how butt hurt Leaf fans are over Barzal. Sad and pathetic. Barzal is simply much better than Marner and on par with Matthews. Deal with it.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It's amazing how butt hurt Leaf fans are over Barzal. Sad and pathetic. Barzal is simply much better than Marner and on par with Matthews. Deal with it.

Marner may not even be the best winger from the 2015 draft. Boeser, Rantanen, and Connor will have a say in this. Barzal is much better than Marner. Skating wise there is no comparison with Mitch fall on your pants Marner. Positionally there is no GM in the NHL that would take a points producing winger over a franchise #1 C when it is relatively close in talent. But I think you are right, the fascination of Barzal is this. We all know it.

 

[mm11]

Geez, as the late great Judge Smails said: " don't you have homes?" Or I should say jobs? Just kidding, great summer time thread with Starzal banter on the main boards as well. Winter Soldier: where do we sent your checks? Quite honestly the Isles have not a player like #13 since the Bossy, Trottier Potvin days. Super talent and just glad we got lucky drafting him...

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Geez, as the late great Judge Smails said: " don't you have homes?" Or I should say jobs? Just kidding, great summer time thread with Starzal banter on the main boards as well. Winter Soldier: where do we sent your checks? Quite honestly the Isles have not a player like #13 since the Bossy, Trottier Potvin days. Super talent and just glad we got lucky drafting him...

Pro bono. I have had a very enjoyable summer as well. Isles fans are very knowledgeable, more knowledgeable that Leafs fans. And I sincerely mean this. I rarely use this, but AINEC, Actually I am glad I broke my own rule of posting on NHL team's sites. But being a fan of players as opposed to teams it gives me more places to chat about players I admire and like. Really enjoy this part of following the game as opposed to a team.

Obviously being a fan of Barzal, I wish him well, and this makes me want the best for the Isles org.

Barzal has only gotten started. He has provided us with a wealth of I told you so's to the naysayers. That is truly rewarding. And I know he will continue to do so the rest of his career. You don't fluke talent like Barzal's. We have only just begun my friends.

Barzal, Lou, Trotz, Dobson, Wahlstrom, Pulock, Beauvillier, Korn, addition by subtraction of the 15.9M Traitor. The future is very bright in Brooklyn!

 

[Metnut]

Loved winter's post...... except for the last word!