Islanders Mathew Barzal Shares Reasons For Early Season Success

EAST MEADOW, NY -- After rifling home the overtime dagger against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night for his seventh point in two games, New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert and MSG Analyst Thomas Hickey shared their thoughts on why Mathew Barzal was having so much success on both sides of the puck.

Barzal's on pace to set a new career-high in shots on goal by about 90, as well as set a new career-high in the takeaway category by over 50. 

So, after talking with Lambert and Hickey about Barzal's success, it was time to go to the source and find out what No. 13 was seeing in his own game that was leading to the spike in both numbers. 

Let's start with the shot increase. 

"I honestly don't know," Barzal told The Hockey News Monday morning. "I'm just trying to take pucks the net. I really don't know. There's really no specific answer to that. 

"I feel like I'm just in spots to shoot now and just trying to get pucks on net."

Some might be scratching their head, thinking, "How does an athlete not know what's changed?"

Something called muscle memory seems to be the case, and, of course, confidence.

Barzal did credit his linemate Bo Horvat for helping with the shot total.

"He's a great passer, so he's opened me up for some shots," Barzal explained.

Then we got to talking about Barzal's overtime goal and how much of a role Horvat played, even if No. 14 never touched the puck on the play. 

Horvat's ability to open up to become a pass option made the goal possible, forcing Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce to respect the pass but also forcing the backchecking Seth Jarvis to dive to stop a potential pass, leaving the trailer Noah Dobson wide open to make what became the game-winning pass back to Barzal:

"[Horvat opening up] was massive," Barzal said. "If he doesn't get up there -- first of all, I'm always looking for him on the 2-on-1, so I want to get the puck over to him because he's so lethal --  but him busting up the ice like that, and his speed's underrated too.

"So he opens up everything just doing that. It opens Dobson up, and then Dobson made a great read. So, yeah, I mean, Bo's got great instincts. So for him to just get up there and open up, I expect that out of him."

There was never a question regarding Barzal's ability to be an offensive mastermind for the Islanders.

Unlocking his full potential was more about providing him with a running mate and credit to Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello for going out and finally getting Barzal that piece in Horvat last year. 

But as former head coach Barry Trotz said often during his time as the Islanders bench boss, to win in this league, star players need to play a responsible two-way game. 

The Washington Capitals were able to win a Stanley Cup because Alexander Ovechkin bought into that mindset. 

It's not that Barzal was horrific in his own zone before this season, but he seems more involved in making plays and reading plays, which has played a valuable role in his ability to garner more offensive opportunities. 

"I found an excitement and joy in wanting to strip pucks and be sneaky like that," Barzal said on the increased takeaway numbers. "I wanted to add a little more Cizikas to my game. So I feel like I'm finding joy in forechecking, in stripping guys and picking passes off and whatnot. 

Maybe I did that a little bit in the past, but I don't think I necessarily had fun doing it, you know? So I'm just trying to add to my game."

As a centerman, Barzal usually found himself deep in the Islanders zone, scooping loose pucks up and then starting the transition game for New York.

But now, at the wing position, Barzal is more often than not stationed higher up in the defensive zone, which means anytime he makes a play, there's likely a chance for much quicker offense than in years prior. 

"I mean, the takeaways [at the point] generally lead right into offense," Barzal said. "So if I can pick passes off -- I'm not necessarily always going to be in the play on the wing all the time --  so when I do have a chance to strip somebody and take the puck away from somebody, like, I really want to bear down and get it from him.

"Now it's just kind of like a fun thing, you know? I want to make it a part of my game."

Horvat and Barzal played only six games together in the 2022-23 regular season due to a lower-body injury that kept No. 13 out of the lineup for the final 23 games of the regular season. 

In the playoffs, Barzal clearly wasn't 100 percent healthy, and Lambert didn't keep the two together for the entirety of their six-game series against the Hurricanes.

That being said, The Hockey News caught up with Horvat following Tuesday's morning skates to get his thoughts on what's led to Barzal's success thus far.

Horvat believes all that offensive success is coming because he's taking care of business in the Islanders zone. 

"I just think his back pressure, and he's taking care of his own end first before he gets anything else going," Horvat said. "So I think that's just driving his offense, being able to carry the puck through the neutral zone, his stop-ups and everything like that, and finding guys coming in late. 

"He's been exceptional this year. And I think it's a key to him being really good."

As for how Barzal's defensive play helps Horvat: "'It's great because I mean, he's a centerman too. So he knows those responsibilities, and he can take control of things when I'm not the first guy back in the zone or down low, so he's been fun to play with. Again, it's been driving his offense."

Because Barzal isn't as deep in the offensive zone, Horvat's first thought when he wins a puck battle down low is to find his speedy winger.

"The goal is to have him carry the pucks through the neutral zone as much as possible," Horvat said. "It's going to help us a lot off the rush. For me, as the centerman, to get him the puck and follow him up with speed like I did with him and Lee in North Carolina.

"Little things like that, I think, help my game and obviously helps him."

Chemistry is ever-building, and Horvat thinks the two of them still have some work to do before reaching their full potential as a duo.

"We still have some things to get better at, but I think it's been great. He's fun to play with and obviously a great player, but I think we haven't hit our ceiling.

"We got more to give, and what better way to start tonight."

It gives Horvat excitement that the two will have a little less than a decade to master one another's game, with both in the first year of eight-year extensions. 

"We got eight years of each other. I don't know if we are going to get sick of each other, but he's a great person and a great player, and it's been a pleasure so far," Horvat said. 

Whether Barzal knows exactly what's led to the growth and success of his game, the results are writing the script, and so far, so good 22 games into his season. 

Barzal has seven goals and 16 assists in 22 games this season, with two goals and five assists over his last two games. He was named the NHL's 2nd Star of the Week on Monday. 

You can watch Rosner talk Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York with co-host Sean Cuthbert live Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season at twitch.tv/hockeynightny.