Player Discussion: Mathew Barzal

[PWJunior]

Yeah, I'm fully on board. I'm not sure if he'll ever have the same hands as Datsyuk, because he was truly unique with what he could do, but he'll be as close to him as I've seen if he continues to buy in. Both players have the ability to play the, "They're expecting me to expect them to do this, so I'll do this other thing instead" type of reads on some plays. It's a thing of beauty to watch.

INCONCEIVABLE!

 

[YearlyLottery]

Barzal is the best Islander I have seen in my lifetime.

 

[aronjudge11]

I don't think he's as good as Ziggy pallfy yet but maybe he will be if he can become thirty goal scorer. Right now I'd say he's as good as yashin and slightly below JT but very small margin could end up better than JT.

 

[CREW99AW]

I don't think he's as good as Ziggy pallfy yet but maybe he will be if he can become thirty goal scorer. Right now I'd say he's as good as yashin and slightly below JT but very small margin could end up better than JT.

Ziggy was a sniper who racked up goals.

Barzal is pass first center,who racks up assists.

Your comparison makes little sense

 

[Lame Lambert]

Ziggy was a sniper who racked up goals.

Barzal is pass first center,who racks up assists.

Your comparison makes little sense

Did you expect it to make any sense?

 

[CREW99AW]

Did you expect it to make any sense?

I tell myself not to respond to the trolling, but like a sucker I get drawn in

 

[BelovedIsles]

Mathew, Islander nation requests: KEEP SHOOTING THE PUCK.

That is all.

 

[BMOK33]

Ziggy was a sniper who racked up goals.

Barzal is pass first center,who racks up assists.

Your comparison makes little sense

Barzal will probably have a season or two where he goes 35-70 or something around there but I think generally you’ll see most years around 25-60/70. As I said on the main forum a few days ago. Adam Oates might be a close comparison

 

[Axel574]

I tell myself not to respond to the trolling, but like a sucker I get drawn in

What I don't understand is why an obvious troll is continuously allowed to post here? That dope joined the day after JT didn't sign as a UFA.

 

[CREW99AW]

Barzal will probably have a season or two where he goes 35-70 or something around there but I think generally you’ll see most years around 25-60/70. As I said on the main forum a few days ago. Adam Oates might be a close comparison

I would be surprised with a 35 goal season from a pass first Barzal,who has to be encouraged to shoot more.

 

[PWJunior]

I would be surprised with a 35 goal season from a pass first Barzal,who has to be encouraged to shoot more.

Agreed, I don't ever see Barzal with big goal totals like that. Still, this new version of Barzal where he's not carrying the puck out on the breakout as much frees him up to lie in the weeds and then attack. Now that Beau is doing a lot more of the work through the neutral zone, Barzal can't be swarmed and he's free to attack the net with time and space. He should get plenty of opportunities to shoot uncontested and score more goals... just watch the last 2 games as an example. I never thought McDavid would be much of a goal scorer either, but it's the same dynamic with him.

I will say though, seeing his first goal against Toronto with the tip in the paint was really encouraging. He's not afraid to go to the dirty areas and was rewarded for it.

 

[MJF]

Agreed, I don't ever see Barzal with big goal totals like that. Still, this new version of Barzal where he's not carrying the puck out on the breakout as much frees him up to lie in the weeds and then attack. Now that Beau is doing a lot more of the work through the neutral zone, Barzal can't be swarmed and he's free to attack the net with time and space. He should get plenty of opportunities to shoot uncontested and score more goals... just watch the last 2 games as an example. I never thought McDavid would be much of a goal scorer either, but it's the same dynamic with him.

I will say though, seeing his first goal against Toronto with the tip in the paint was really encouraging. He's not afraid to go to the dirty areas and was rewarded for it.

Probably true but seeing Barzal’s clapper the last 2 games makes me think he does have the ability to be a goal scorer.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Probably true but seeing Barzal’s clapper the last 2 games makes me think he does have the ability to be a goal scorer.

Would you say his clapper has been "unleashed?"

 

[MJF]

Would you say his clapped has been "unleashed?"

Yes I would.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Agreed, I don't ever see Barzal with big goal totals like that. Still, this new version of Barzal where he's not carrying the puck out on the breakout as much frees him up to lie in the weeds and then attack. Now that Beau is doing a lot more of the work through the neutral zone, Barzal can't be swarmed and he's free to attack the net with time and space. He should get plenty of opportunities to shoot uncontested and score more goals... just watch the last 2 games as an example. I never thought McDavid would be much of a goal scorer either, but it's the same dynamic with him.

I will say though, seeing his first goal against Toronto with the tip in the paint was really encouraging. He's not afraid to go to the dirty areas and was rewarded for it.

The bolded is always one of my main concern with players who rely on skating mainly. The thing about Barzal that makes him so special is since teams have begun to try and shut down his skating is he can shoot the puck, he can play defense, he goes to the net, and is willing to do whatever it takes to win the game. He is always going to rack up the points as long as he is willing to go to the dirty areas along with play his finesse game.

The tip in goal from Barzal all comes down to a mindset that some players such as Nelson do not have.

 

[ML19]

38 GP 10 G 26 A

Mat seems to be hitting his stride at this point in the season. Reminds me of how he came on last season. It definitely took a little more time for him to come into his own due to Trotz more defensive brand of hockey, but he's certainly looking like the kid who won the Calder again. My question: Does Mat have it in him to hit 90+ points this season.

If Mat has 1 G 4 assists in his final 3 games of the 1st half we're looking at 41 GP/11 G/ 30 A /41 P after a sub-par first 30 games.
Something like 11 G 40 A is very manageable in the final 41 games especially if the Islanders are able to pick up a sniper and the PP begins to produce.

If the stars align we could be in for a treat over the next few months.

 

[mm11]

38 GP 10 G 26 A

Mat seems to be hitting his stride at this point in the season. Reminds me of how he came on last season. It definitely took a little more time for him to come into his own due to Trotz more defensive brand of hockey, but he's certainly looking like the kid who won the Calder again. My question: Does Mat have it in him to hit 90+ points this season.

If Mat has 1 G 4 assists in his final 3 games of the 1st half we're looking at 41 GP/11 G/ 30 A /41 P after a sub-par first 30 games.
Something like 11 G 40 A is very manageable in the final 41 games especially if the Islanders are able to pick up a sniper and the PP begins to produce.

If the stars align we could be in for a treat over the next few months.

Barzal sure can get hot. I'll take a playoff series win vrs the Leafs instead of a 90 point campaign though. But yes, he can get 90 is the starts align but will obviously need to stay super consistent. PP is crucial to get hot so the kid can get some cheap points along the way

 

[Le Grec]

 

[PWJunior]

Barzal sure can get hot. I'll take a playoff series win vrs the Leafs instead of a 90 point campaign though. But yes, he can get 90 is the starts align but will obviously need to stay super consistent. PP is crucial to get hot so the kid can get some cheap points along the way

If Barzal gets 90 points, I would assume that we make the playoffs. Guess who is a legit Hart candidate in his 2nd season. His narrative would be really compelling with the departure of Judas and everyone crapping on the Isles before the season. He already has established street cred with a slam dunk Calder last year. His style of play is also going to appeal to the masses.

That would be such a Mat Barzal thing to do, win the Hart in his 2nd season and give a big middle to finger to a whole host of people. I look forward to him adding the Hart to the Conn Smythe.

 

[Thrasymachus]

What I don't understand is why an obvious troll is continuously allowed to post here? That dope joined the day after JT didn't sign as a UFA.

To be fair so did I. But in my defense I crossed over from islandermania which temporarily shut down the day JT left

 

[Kevin27NYI]

If Barzal gets 90 points, I would assume that we make the playoffs. Guess who is a legit Hart candidate in his 2nd season. His narrative would be really compelling with the departure of Judas and everyone crapping on the Isles before the season. He already has established street cred with a slam dunk Calder last year. His style of play is also going to appeal to the masses.

That would be such a Mat Barzal thing to do, win the Hart in his 2nd season and give a big middle to finger to a whole host of people. I look forward to him adding the Hart to the Conn Smythe.

Taylor Hall set the precedent for Barzal in that scenario.

Will be funny actually, because I bet people around the league that called Bailey and Lee passengers would then change their tune.

 

[PWJunior]

Taylor Hall set the precedent for Barzal in that scenario.

Will be funny actually, because I bet people around the league that called Bailey and Lee passengers would then change their tune.

A lot of the support that got Judas 2 top-3 Hart finishes is the same narrative that Barzal is working with, to an even higher degree. I thought Barzal would need this adjustment season before his Hart candidacy start, it came much faster than I thought. Making the playoffs is a team achievement, but it makes him a legit Hart candidate, just like Hall like you said.

90+ points, Isles make the playoffs = Hart frontrunner. He completely hijacked the Toronto game on HNIC. Everyone laughed at us and he announced his national presence with authority, then scores 2 goals on the NBCSN game against Chicago. McDavid already has B2B Harts, there might be some media fatigue on that looking for a new champion. Toronto has 3 guys that all cancel eachother out. Kucherov is on the NHL's GS Warriors. The Colorado bunch cancel eachother out. Barzal is a fresh face who has that flair that the NHL should be marketing. Reigning Calder winner, new leader of a playoff team that was picked by most to finish last.

If the team keeps grooving and Barzal keeps playing like this, I think the Hart would be his to lose. We're 3 points out of 1st with some games in hand, we get in the dance and Barzal is going to get hardware. I'd love to see it.

 

[YearlyLottery]

A lot of the support that got Judas 2 top-3 Hart finishes is the same narrative that Barzal is working with, to an even higher degree. I thought Barzal would need this adjustment season before his Hart candidacy start, it came much faster than I thought. Making the playoffs is a team achievement, but it makes him a legit Hart candidate, just like Hall like you said.

90+ points, Isles make the playoffs = Hart frontrunner. He completely hijacked the Toronto game on HNIC. Everyone laughed at us and he announced his national presence with authority, then scores 2 goals on the NBCSN game against Chicago. McDavid already has B2B Harts, there might be some media fatigue on that looking for a new champion. Toronto has 3 guys that all cancel eachother out. Kucherov is on the NHL's GS Warriors. The Colorado bunch cancel eachother out. Barzal is a fresh face who has that flair that the NHL should be marketing. Reigning Calder winner, new leader of a playoff team that was picked by most to finish last.

If the team keeps grooving and Barzal keeps playing like this, I think the Hart would be his to lose. We're 3 points out of 1st with some games in hand, we get in the dance and Barzal is going to get hardware. I'd love to see it.

Do you know "the kid who won the Hart"

 

[mm11]

just to get nominated would be huge. The Kid who almost won the Hart. But seriously, if the PP still can't do anything this is all wishful thinking unfortunately

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Mount Rushmore of Current NY athletes:

Aaron Judge (not to be confused with aronjudge11)
Jacob deGrom
Saquon Barkley
Mathew Barzal

Don't @ me