Last season was a nightmare for Mat Barzal.
A kneecap injury on February 1 ended his season after just 30 games, and it was a long road back to get ready for this season. But, all of the hard work during his long rehab has paid off, as he is having a terrific season.
Barzal is the Islanders' second leading scorer with 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points, and the Isles sit near the top of both the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.
“It’s been great,” said Barzal. “With that injury, it was definitely was hard for me. I didn’t really get a summer to train so I feel like my legs are still getting back under me a little bit. There was so much time off the ice (during rehab) where guys are skating and getting better and working on their game and I was sitting on the couch.”
There were times during his rehab when Barzal felt distanced from the team. There was nothing he could do about it but just continue to work hard and see that light at the end of the tunnel - and that light has been shining brightly for the Islanders this season.
While he worked hard to get back and continue to display his skills, Barzal also added another element to his game.
“I feel like I’m doing a great job this year at using my brain more than maybe my legs in the past. The whole year has been great. We have an awesome team and a great locker room. Good energy around here.”
That energy has vaulted the Islanders into playoff contention with a record of 23-15-4, for 50 points, heading into Tuesday night’s game with the Devils at UBS Arena. There are others on the team who have contributed, including the breathtaking play of rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer, but make no mistake about it: Barzal has been one of the big reasons why the Islanders have been winning.
“He’s excelling back to himself,” said Captain Anders Lee. “It’s not an easy injury to come back from and it’s one that takes some time to feel right. Regardless of how he’s feeling, he’s playing phenomenal hockey. He’s able to push through a lot of things and I think he’s put in a great effort to his game. When he’s at his best, our team follows suit and he’s been doing that.”
There aren’t too many people who predicted the Islanders to be having the season that they are currently enjoying. After not making the playoffs last year, the Islanders were expected by many hockey “experts” to have another down season while new General Manager Mathieu Darche continues to add new pieces to the puzzle.
But someone forgot to give Barzal and the Islanders the memo that they weren’t supposed to be this successful this season.
“We’ve definitely surprised some people but we haven’t surprised ourselves in the room,” said Barzal. “We know every night that we have enough talent in the room that we can play with anybody. Inner confidence is key. We really don’t care what everyone else is saying. You gotta believe in yourself and in the group and I think we do.”
Sounds like a pretty good leader right?
There’s never been a question as to Barzal’s skills on the ice. He’s one of the best skaters in the league and when he’s on top of his game, he can pass and score with the best of the best in the NHL. But this season, Barzal has been able to lead by example, opening up another dimension of his game that we really didn’t see in past seasons.
“He’s been showing great leadership right now,” said Head Coach Patrick Roy, who also loves the vision that Barzal has on the ice.
“The two passes he made to tie (Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs) 3-3 and (the winner) in overtime. I mean, come on, they were like phenomenal plays. I think he brings this to the team right now.”
Let’s talk about those two assists on Saturday night.
First, he set up Emil Heineman, who scored the game-tying goal with 2:45 to go in the third period. And then, he delivered a spectacular backhand no-look pass to Schaefer, who buried the game-winning goal in overtime.
He’s seen the replay of the overtime goal a few times but he also credits another teammate for helping facilitate the moment.
“I watched it a few times,” said Barzal. “Aside from watching the pass and the goal, I was watching Heineman’s backchecking and stretch pass. Honestly, it took a while to get over that one. Just a lot of adrenaline to have a crowd like that. The game itself…there was so much buildup. A lot of things happened. We got a nice feeling in here right now.”
And Barzal is a big reason why.
Sure, he had to miss a game in Carolina earlier this season because he missed the team bus to the morning skate. But he certainly learned from that and has turned the page, growing into not only into one of the best players on the team but also one of the most respected leaders.
“He’s continued to grow,” said Lee. “He’s now a veteran in this league. He’s been around a long time and understands these moments that we’ve had when to step up and he recognizes that. He’s got a great voice in the room and plays with a ton of passion. I think that’s just starting to shine a little bit.”
And now Barzal and the Islanders prepare for another big game, a divisional contest against the Devils, who the Isles just beat 2-1 at home on December 23.
“I expect the same thing we get from them always,” said Barzal. “It’s tight out there. They’re fast. They’ve got good D and a good goalie so it’s always a tough game against them. We have to play solid and keep it simple.”
It’s been an amazing season for Mat Barzal and the Islanders. He’s battled through injuries and he is having an all-star caliber season. He is back to playing like when former Islander John Tavares described him as the “Kid who won the Calder” in 2017-18, when he was the NHL Rookie of the Year.
And he’s doing it with his hands, his feel and his smarts.