How Barzal's Attention to Detail Dovetails With His Positional Change
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal has been impressive at the wing position thus far. Let's head to the film room, with inside from Barzal and Horvat on how the positional change is leading to more success.
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had to learn how to be an NHL winger on the fly in 2022-23 following the acquisition of All-Star centerman Bo Horvat.
It wasn't as if Barzal had never played along the boards, as finding opening ice, wherever that may be, was at the top of his resume.
But Barzal's ability to get reps on Horvat's wing was short-lived due to a long-term lower-body injury just six games into the experiment.
When the playoffs rolled around, and Barzal was cleared to return to the lineup, it was tough for him to continue where he left off and get into that rhythm.
Having the entire summer to focus on the wing position has proven to be ultra-beneficial to Barzal and the Islanders since the start of training camp.
Let's take an in-depth look at just how Barzal's positional change is impacting his performance.
Since the start of training camp, the 26-year-old looks more confident than ever before, especially in his shot, which he's displayed often.
In three preseason games, Barzal has two goals and two assists with six shots on goal.
Rather than being that player who dictates the transition game, scanning the ice for teammates, Barzal is the one finding the open space as a pass option for Horvat.
"I'm just trying to play the same game. Just a different position," Barzal said following the Islanders' 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.
Barzal potted two goals on the night, his first two of the preseason, so let's go to the film room.
In the past, with Barzal as a centerman, he was always much deeper in the defensive zone. But now, with Horvat taking the down-low defensive responsibility, Barzal is hovering more toward the top of the circle.
This allows more off-the-rush chances for New York, something that's always hindered their ability to create consistent offensive looks.
Barzal's first goal of the night was Exhibit A on how critical that slight defensive change can impact Barzal's offense.
Of course, defensemen aren't always going to bobble pucks at the blue line, but when they do, Barzal has the speed and edgework to win races to loose pucks and break free after a few strides, as you just saw.
But that chance only comes because of his new position.
"In that case, yeah," Barzal said when The Hockey News asked him if the positional change directly led to that opportunity. "I had that puck a few times. So just lurk for those bobbled pucks, just hoping for a bounce and lucky to get one."
Another thing to point out on this goal is that Barzal didn't get too in-tight to goaltender Akira Schmid. Instead, Barzal elected to shoot rather than deke, giving the Islanders an early 1-0 lead.
That's been a huge difference so far, and that comes with confidence in his shot, something that Barzal has not shown enough of over the years.
That's not to say Barzal doesn't shoot the puck, as we had a long conversation about that a week ago.
But it's about when Barzal is electing to shoot that's been the difference.
"I think he's just actually shooting it," Horvat said following the loss. "I think that was everybody's knock on him before. He doesn't shoot the puck enough. He's proven what kind of shot he has this preseason. He's just got to continue to keep shooting the puck because he's got a lethal shot."
Outside of hopping on loose pucks, Barzal has been stripping pucks a tad more often. That's not something we would classify as new, but he's focused heavily on it.
"It's not like I needed to be talked to about it or whatever, but I feel like I tried to really add strips into my game," Barzal said. "I feel like for like the last couple years, I've been having one or two a game."
Why is that more important now at the wing position rather than at center?
"That can lead to transition and lead to goals," Barzal said. "Look at the best players in the league. Most of them are in the top 10 of strips and steals and I'd like to get into that category."
He has a point.
Let's roll the tape on Barzal's second goal.
With the Islanders chasing two goals to start the third, Barzal got his club within one early in the third period. It wasn't a crazy highlight-reel goal, but a goal nevertheless.
After strong forechecking from Anders Lee, who was back on Horvat's wing Monday night for the first time since camp opened, Horvat hopped on the loose puck and fed Barzal at the back post:
In the past, Barzal would have been positioned where Horvat was, looking for a teammate to finish off that play.
Instead, it was Barzal getting open for a tap-in, which shows how Barzal is reading the ice from a different angle, showing off his I.Q. in the process.
"Bo surprised me with how good of a passer he is," Barzal said. "You hear about the shot and the goal scoring, but he can dish the puck. So he's found me on a couple of good chances that I've been fortunate to bury.
"I know I have to score, like I know I do."
It's clear as day that Barzal and Horvat's chemistry is a notch higher than we saw last season. It's also ironic that Barzal is the one burying the goals, and Horvat's the one setting the plays up.
Quite frankly, seeing that may be more important than if it was the other way around because both have to score for this team to be a force. And if, early in the season, Barzal continues to rifle pucks home, that means the opposing team can't just assume Barzal is looking to pass the puck like he's done throughout the first seven years of his career.
The same can be said for Horvat, as the opposition can't commit to Horvat shooting as he can just dish the puck to Barzal if pressured.
"We've been playing well together. So he's (Horvat) been doing a lot of the passing, and I've been doing the scoring," Barzal said. "So kinda worked out that way, but I think the chemistry is there."
Horvat agrees.
"We're starting to get familiar with each other, where each other is gonna be, and he's a pretty special player to play with," Horvat said. "He's making all these plays and finding you when you don't think you're open, so he's fun to play with, and we just got to keep building here."
Horvat, fresh off a 38-goal campaign, knows that when the goals are coming, you want to shoot more, and that's his advice for Barzal as things progress here.
"When pucks are going in for you, obviously, you just want to shoot more. And just from experience, when you're feeling it and when perhaps they're going in, you feel like you can do it every single night," Horvat said.
"So now he's got that right now. Obviously, it's preseason. You want to build confidence, but he's got to keep continuing to keep rolling."
Being a winger in the NHL doesn't mean you are always on the flanks. And there's certainly tremendous value in Barzal still navigating the center of the ice because of his vision and ability to skate.
Horvat understands that completely.
"He's played center all his life. I don't want to just tell him to just beat it and throw him away right?" Horvat said. "He's got so much speed and so much creativity when he's at center sometimes, too. When I see he's got lots of speed, I'm just gonna get out of his way and try to get open off the rush.
"He creates so much space for me, too. He's got so much speed coming up the middle anyway, so he opens up a lot of opportunities for me to make plays."
The early grade is an A+ for Barzal at the wing.
Although these practices, scrimmages, and games may not count on the stat sheet, it's invaluable experience for the Islanders' face of the franchise, who not only seems to understand what tweaks need to be made at his new position but is learning each day and thriving in the process.