A major key to the New York Islanders’ success in 2019-20 was always going to be the continued development of star center Mathew Barzal.
For a team built on a strong defense and goaltending tandem, goals were at a premium for Barry Trotz’s men last season. Without a marquee, offensive upgrade during the offseason — despite a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals — those struggles were expected to continue.
A byproduct of such expectations meant there would be plenty of pressure on the likes of Barzal to start lighting the lamp more than he showed over his first two NHL seasons. The 22-year-old had built an early reputation of being a pass-first playmaker rather than a goal-scoring commodity.
That was, until this season.
Barzal has found his scoring touch as a more aggressive version of the center has helped pace the Islanders offense during their NHL-best 14-game point streak.
In just 18 games this season, he has nine goals and eight assists (17 points), including a goal during the Islanders’ frenzied third-period comeback from a 3-0 deficit that resulted in a shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.
How the #Isles streak was saved pic.twitter.com/962fNYEG3g
— Isles on MSG Plus (@IslesMSGN) November 17, 2019
Barzal added an exclamation point in the shootout that featured an “around-the-world” deke that opened the five-hole of Flyers goalie Brian Elliott.
there are zero words to describe what @barzal_97 did on this shootout goal
so just watch and enjoy and share with your friends ( @nbcsphilly) pic.twitter.com/Mm4RVB9ge2
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) November 17, 2019
This year’s current goal output is already half the amount of goals he scored last season in 82 games. Barzal didn’t score his ninth goal of the season in 2018-19 until game No. 37 — which came during a hat-trick performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 29.
The obvious difference in Barzal’s game has been his willingness to shoot the puck.
Through 18 games last season, he shot the puck just 28 times. He has 42 shots this season.
But his shot selection has also been improved by leaps and bounds. Over his first 164 career games, Barzal’s shot percentage was at 11.5. This year, it’s at 21.4-percent, which ranks ninth among all NHL skaters with at least nine goals this season.
His ability to mold into Trotz’s defensive system has also seen him get more ice time — averaging a career-high 19:02 per game. His plus-13 rating leads the Islanders while he continues to win the trust of the coaching staff.
The Islanders look to make it 14 wins in 15 games on Tuesday night against the Penguins, who are the only team to defeat Barzal and Co. since Oct. 11.
