GDT: GDT #14 New York Islanders @ Ottawa Senators | November 7th | 7:00 PM | F/W 4-2

[mm11]

All barzal's fault. We found the answer to this years whipping boy I guess.

 

[Rehabguy]

Barzal’s not the problem. The problem was that the rest of the team needed to pick up their game rather than being spectators waiting for Barzal to do something. Take Barzal out of the equation and the rest of the team realizes they can actually contribute in scoring goals. The beginning of the season it looked like only Barzal’s line was producing when they were winning games. So every team just focused on his line while the rest of the team just moped about. Forced to actually play offense with Barzal out they had to produce. The team is on a little high right now scoring a few goals here and there but make no mistake about it, without Barzal here for the long term the team’s offensive threat is pretty sad. Hope they learn something from this. You win games by driving to the net and shooting. And yes Barzal needs to recognize this too.

Barzal out the rest of the team was forced to wake the hell up!

 

[MarsTBOW]

All barzal's fault. We found the answer to this years whipping boy I guess.

No, it's that this team needs to not be a perimeter team and needs to be aggressive crashing the net.
Trying to get it done with just finesse is not gonna cut it with players that have a hard time finishing...

 

[leeroggy]

Barzal’s not the problem. The problem was that the rest of the team needed to pick up their game rather than being spectators waiting for Barzal to do something. Take Barzal out of the equation and the rest of the team realizes they can actually contribute in scoring goals. The beginning of the season it looked like only Barzal’s line was producing when they were winning games. So every team just focused on his line while the rest of the team just moped about. Forced to actually play offense with Barzal out they had to produce. The team is on a little high right now scoring a few goals here and there but make no mistake about it, without Barzal here for the long term the team’s offensive threat is pretty sad. Hope they learn something from this. You win games by driving to the net and shooting. And yes Barzal needs to recognize this too.

Barzal out the rest of the team was forced to wake the hell up!

It also opens up the possibility of a hockey trade, not a futures trade. What would this team look like (and it's not about whether NTC's or reality is making this possible) if this happened?

Barzal, Cizikas and a prospect for Boeser and Garland? All forwards, but a very different chemistry and more scoring depth. It's salary cap neutral.

Lee - Horvat - Boeser
Tsyp - Nelson - Palms
Duclair - Pageau - Garland
Holmstrom - Maclean - Wally/etc.

Again, don't take this completely literally as a possibility, it's about how a hockey trade could look.

 

[seafoam]

Lee-Horvat-Pageau
Tsyplakov-Nelson-Palmieri
Duclair-Barzal-X
X-Cizikas-X

Engvall
Fasching
Holmstrom
MacLean
Martin
Wahlstrom

 

[Osakahaus]

Barzal’s not the problem. The problem was that the rest of the team needed to pick up their game rather than being spectators waiting for Barzal to do something. Take Barzal out of the equation and the rest of the team realizes they can actually contribute in scoring goals. The beginning of the season it looked like only Barzal’s line was producing when they were winning games. So every team just focused on his line while the rest of the team just moped about. Forced to actually play offense with Barzal out they had to produce. The team is on a little high right now scoring a few goals here and there but make no mistake about it, without Barzal here for the long term the team’s offensive threat is pretty sad. Hope they learn something from this. You win games by driving to the net and shooting. And yes Barzal needs to recognize this too.

Barzal out the rest of the team was forced to wake the hell up!

which is very bad

HOWEVER

I think this opens up the door to trade Barzal. Yeah the guy who is pro-barzy is also open for trading him.

 

[MJF]

Horvat fits better with guys like Pageau and Lee, Barzal with all his skills just doesn’t fit the current profile here but if we can’t move him for other assets, I see him centering a 3rd line where he can hold the puck as long as he wants

Frankly Barzal never fit the roster he was surrounded by. Round peg in a square hole. People around here always bristled at anyone who would say Barzal wasn't a good fit here because the Isles never had much in the way of high end skill players. Barzal's unique skills still haven't translated to enough team or individual success. Certainly not at the price Lou paid him.

 

[MJF]

Barzal’s not the problem. The problem was that the rest of the team needed to pick up their game rather than being spectators waiting for Barzal to do something. Take Barzal out of the equation and the rest of the team realizes they can actually contribute in scoring goals. The beginning of the season it looked like only Barzal’s line was producing when they were winning games. So every team just focused on his line while the rest of the team just moped about. Forced to actually play offense with Barzal out they had to produce. The team is on a little high right now scoring a few goals here and there but make no mistake about it, without Barzal here for the long term the team’s offensive threat is pretty sad. Hope they learn something from this. You win games by driving to the net and shooting. And yes Barzal needs to recognize this too.

Barzal out the rest of the team was forced to wake the hell up!

Do you remember when Steve Phillips called Alex Rodriguez a 1 and 24 player?

It also opens up the possibility of a hockey trade, not a futures trade. What would this team look like (and it's not about whether NTC's or reality is making this possible) if this happened?

Barzal, Cizikas and a prospect for Boeser and Garland? All forwards, but a very different chemistry and more scoring depth. It's salary cap neutral.

Lee - Horvat - Boeser
Tsyp - Nelson - Palms
Duclair - Pageau - Garland
Holmstrom - Maclean - Wally/etc.

Again, don't take this completely literally as a possibility, it's about how a hockey trade could look.

What the Isles get in return in a trade of Mat Barzal could solve several of the team's problems.