It took years for the New York Islanders to provide Mathew Barzal with a key ingredient, and now, with Horvat in the kitchen for a full season, it's time for Barzal to cook when the 2023-24 season kicks off.

Regardless of the off-season decisions the New York Islanders will make this summer, the franchise's success going forward relies heavily on the play of Mathew Barzal.

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That statement shouldn't shock a soul, as Barzal, when on his game, is one of the strongest skaters in the entire NHL and can be an elite player in this league with the right players around him. 

The one issue that was standing in the way of unlocking Barzal's true potential was a linemate that not only could put pucks in the back of the net consistently but one that could understand and sync up with Barzal's chaotic, shifty game. 

Barzal started his 2022-23 season without that kind of player but decided to put pen to paper on an eight-year extension worth $9.15 M annually.

"I love it here. I genuinely do. I think anyone that plays here knows that it's one of the, I think, it's really one of the top places to play in the league," Mat Barzal said back in September. "From the practice rink, UBS, the boys in the room, Lou being here, a fresh coaching staff, and the city itself, [being] 30 minutes from New York City, I mean, the lifestyle is elite.

"And I have loved it here literally every minute, so yeah, there's really no other place I'd rather be."

As the season progressed and the Islanders clearly needed help in the goal-scoring department, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello provided Barzal with one of the top players available before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, trading for Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat.

With the move, Islanders head coach Lane Lambert elected to place Barzal on Horvat's right wing. 

But before the newcomer even stepped on the practice sheet at Northwell Ice Center, he signed an eight-year extension of his own, worth $8.5 million annually. 

"Knowing Barzal's going to be here for a long time and his skill and his ability to make plays and stuff like that, that was a big reason why I wanted to stay," Horvat told The Hockey News during the Islanders California road trip. 

Through six games together, it appeared that this new duo could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Islanders to not only get into the playoffs after a year away but carry this team offensively for years to come.

The positive mindset was quickly put on pause when Barzal suffered a lower-body injury on Feb. 18, forcing him to miss the remaining 23 games of the regular season with the potential for him to return for the playoffs if the Islanders qualified.

Horvat was lost without Barzal, scoring just four goals in those final 23 games, while the line of Pierre Engvall, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri carried the Islanders back into the postseason.

Barzal did return for the first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and despite scoring two goals, he didn't seem 100 percent. Horvat didn't rise to the occasion either, with just one goal as the Islanders headed home after six games.

"The goal is to be in the playoffs every year. I think this year, it was fighting for that last spot, but I want to be in a position where we're not just trying to sneak into the playoffs," Barzal said during his final media session. "It's going in and having a little comfort halfway through the season. I feel like the last two years, it's been 45 games in, and we're scratching and clawing. I think those first 30 to 40 games, especially up until Christmas and the All-Star break, has got to be the main focus next year to try to put ourselves in a position where it makes it easier in those last 30 games."

Now, Barzal is just one part of that equation. He will need Horvat to rediscover his scoring touch -- the one he displayed through 49 games with Vancouver, potting 31 goals -- if the two are to have success.

Although the playoffs went south for the two, if they can play more like they did together in those six games, they do have the ability to be an offensive force for New York.

Because of the lack of salary-cap space, the Islanders will likely only make minor tweaks to their roster, which puts more of the onus on Barzal and Horvat to be dynamic and effective. 

It took years for the Islanders to provide Barzal with a key ingredient, and now, with Horvat in the kitchen for a full season, it's time for Barzal to cook when the 2023-24 season kicks off. 

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