New York Islanders 2023-24 Report Cards: Mat Barzal – Hockey Writers –

Mathew Barzal, the face of the New York Islanders, started the 2023-24 season healthy after being injured to end last season. The 2023-24 season was also the first of his eight-year contract, signed for $9.15 million per year. This was a large, but well-deserved, contract extension needed to lock down the team’s forward until the end of his first season. He exceeded expectations, finishing the season with a career high in goals and his highest total since his first season.
Barzal’s case
There is no doubting Barzal’s talent. He is a fast skater with elite edgework and vision who uses his skills to create dozens of offensive opportunities in each game. In previous seasons, he has struggled to get his players to use his balls, but this season has been a different story.
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The addition of Bo Horvat to Barzal’s lineup pushed him to the right wing. When he was still playing in the middle of the ice, he could be relied upon, allowing him to play more aggressively in the offensive zone. This was the key to unlocking Barzal’s potential as he now, for the first time in his career, plays alongside a top scorer.
Barzal spent most of the season alongside Horvat and Anders Lee before the season’s lineup change. Together, the trio had excellent stats, with a 57.7 expected goals percentage (xG%) in 482.6 minutes, according to Money Puck. While Lee struggled on his own, Barzal found his groove on the line and showed why he should be considered one of the league’s best and best players.
Most noticeable in Barzal’s game was his increase in shooting. He’s known for his vision and playmaking ability, but he has a stellar wrist shot that is underrated by fans. He can score anywhere on the ice but is best when skating toward the net, in the gap, or near the hash marks. Finished the season with career highs in goals, expected goals, and shots. While this may seem like an outlier for his point total, it’s likely just the beginning, as his offensive production is poised to increase once talent is added to his lineup.
Barzal’s defense
Barzal isn’t a defensive specialist, but he’s far from offensive. He finished the season with a 16 penalty minute split, meaning he drew 16 more penalty minutes than he took. He was more responsible with the puck, finishing with six more turnovers than takeovers on the season, the closest he has ever finished a season in his career. It’s unknown if he can be relied on defensively, but it’s good to see improvement at the same time his offensive totals improve.
Final grade: A
Expectations for Barzal were different. Having scored 20 goals once before this season, it was expected that he would flirt with scoring goals without reaching them. He was also coming off a serious injury, so a slow start wasn’t realistic. However, he has lived up to almost everything that was expected of him, so it’s hard to say that he doesn’t deserve an A grade. He’s helped carry a heavy load when the depth has struggled, been a key reason the powerplay is no longer in the league, and has been a stellar performer.
Going into next season, Barzal’s goal should be to maintain this success. Strengthening the third partner should be a priority for Islanders management as finding someone can take the line from the best to the best in hockey. Ultimately, it’s been a great season for Barzal, and the Islanders should be happy with his play.