Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2023-24: Hotel California

[YearlyLottery]

No he isn’t. He’s one of the best skaters in the league with great edges, but a flawed center who overcomplicates his game.

As for where we are now versus where we’d be without Barzal? Well there’s really not much difference today. We’re not in great shape with him here. And this is Year 7 of Barzal’s time on the Island.

Hmm.. You don't think Barzal had a meaningful impact on the three straight years where this organization won playoff series' and was the most successful they had been since the dynasty years?

This is Barzal's 7th year on the island and he has had a more successful career here than anyone who did not play in the early 80's with this team.

 

[MJF]

Hmm.. You don't think Barzal had a meaningful impact on the three straight years where this organization won playoff series' and was the most successful they had been since the dynasty years?

This is Barzal's 7th year on the island and he has had a more successful career here than anyone who did not play in the early 80's with this team.

BAHAHAHAHAHA

Pierre Turrgeon had more of an impact on his Isles teams than Mat Barzal had on his.

This edition of the Islanders is the closest thing to a 100% team effort than any other.


The amount of genuflecting to this guy is unbelievable here sometimes.

 

[Osakahaus]

BAHAHAHAHAHA

Pierre Turrgeon had more of an impact on his Isles teams than Mat Barzal had on his.

This edition of the Islanders is the closest thing to a 100% team effort than any other.


The amount of genuflecting to this guy is unbelievable here sometimes.

but is he wrong? Barzal is the best talent we've had since Turgeon.

 

[MJF]

but is he wrong? Barzal is the best talent we've had since Turgeon.

John Tavares would like a word with you.

 

[Osakahaus]

John Tavares would like a word with you.

yes but also no.

 

[YearlyLottery]

BAHAHAHAHAHA

Pierre Turrgeon had more of an impact on his Isles teams than Mat Barzal had on his.

This edition of the Islanders is the closest thing to a 100% team effort than any other.


The amount of genuflecting to this guy is unbelievable here sometimes.

John Tavares would like a word with you.

Ouch so let's break this down.

1.) Key word was SUCCESS. I said Barzal had a meaningful impact (fact.) Barzal had a meaningful impact during the time period this organization was the most successful since the dynasty years (fact).

Nothing about the above is false. Right?

Now regarding Tavares. Better player than Barzal? Sure. More successful than Barzal? No. Something has been wrong with Tavares' leadership stemming back to his Oshawa and London days. No team where he is a leader has ever won anything. Maybe Team Canada WJC? I mean with that stacked Toronto squad he has not even won a playoff series.

Not to rehash the sad, sad Tavares era but the era of Barzal has been more successful than anything other than the dynasty era.

Barzal has a set of issues I have seen you write about. You are correct about many of them in my opinion. But to act like he is anywhere near the issue or has ever been a top 5 issue on this team is where you are wrong.

 

[MJF]

Ouch so let's break this down.

1.) Key word was SUCCESS. I said Barzal had a meaningful impact (fact.) Barzal had a meaningful impact during the time period this organization was the most successful since the dynasty years (fact).

Nothing about the above is false. Right?

Now regarding Tavares. Better player than Barzal? Sure. More successful than Barzal? No. Something has been wrong with Tavares' leadership stemming back to his Oshawa and London days. No team where he is a leader has ever won anything. Maybe Team Canada WJC? I mean with that stacked Toronto squad he has not even won a playoff series.

Not to rehash the sad, sad Tavares era but the era of Barzal has been more successful than anything other than the dynasty era.

Barzal has a set of issues I have seen you write about. You are correct about many of them in my opinion. But to act like he is anywhere near the issue or has ever been a top 5 issue on this team is where you are wrong.

Wow do we love to grade Barzal on a curve around here and throw in all kinds of qualifiers about him to avoid saying he hasn’t been the superstar player we hoped he’d be. In my opinion Barzal just misses.

Barzal is a good player but so many here romanticize about his talent and the effect he’s had on the team. It ain’t as much as you make it out.

I realize the team has been talent starved for years but can we please cut it out already?

As for my Tavares mention, go back and look at what I responded to. There’s nothing more that needed to be said.

 

[Mike C]

Hmm.. You don't think Barzal had a meaningful impact on the three straight years where this organization won playoff series' and was the most successful they had been since the dynasty years?

This is Barzal's 7th year on the island and he has had a more successful career here than anyone who did not play in the early 80's with this team.

7th year, 3rd coach, just to throw that in!

 

[Throttle]

Impossible to have a back and forth with someone who refuses to recognize any wrongdoings by Lou.

Must of missed the point where he clearly overpaid Barzal and Pulock has regressed in the new new NHL, whereas he was trending towards a #2 top 4 role that could run a PP under the old one.

Sorry, I’m not pissing and moaning while the Isles sit in a playoff spot with a number of injuries and players the team relied on to improve, even under a more open offensive league, they haven’t. I mean, when the ‘top center’ on the team went 17 games without a goal, has 5 power play goals in about 175 games, and has a FO% of 33% this year, I don’t get too excited about a ‘top center’ like that.

 

[Throttle]

Hmm.. You don't think Barzal had a meaningful impact on the three straight years where this organization won playoff series' and was the most successful they had been since the dynasty years?

This is Barzal's 7th year on the island and he has had a more successful career here than anyone who did not play in the early 80's with this team.

Barzal was a complete no show vs PIT - so, yeah, the rest of the team (ie Palms) pushed through that series vs a sieve of a goaltender. The biggest question going into the BOS series was whether he would show up. He had a solid series, but let’s stop acting like he contributed to the opening series - he didn’t.

Game 7 vs. TB the mighty Barzal played 20 minutes and had a whopping one shot on net. Way to use that talent and lead the team to victory. But, he cried so it was ok.

 

[Osakahaus]

Barzal was a complete no show vs PIT - so, yeah, the rest of the team (ie Palms) pushed through that series vs a sieve of a goaltender. The biggest question going into the BOS series was whether he would show up. He had a solid series, but let’s stop acting like he contributed to the opening series - he didn’t.

Game 7 vs. TB the mighty Barzal played 20 minutes and had a whopping one shot on net. Way to use that talent and lead the team to victory. But, he cried so it was ok.

because tampa snuffed everything the isles did. they played game 7 perfectly.

 

[Throttle]

7th year, 3rd coach, just to throw that in!

Is he listening to the coach? I mean, if a coach says ‘do laps around the offensive zone’ ‘don’t shoot 10’ from the net’ or ‘try to deke 3 guys and lose the puck’ well, back to teaching high school hockey Barry and Lane.

because tampa snuffed everything the isles did. they played game 7 perfectly.

Oh, so he’s not THAT talented to overcome that? He skates like the wind, edges like knives, moves like Jackson, but he got ‘snuffed?’ Well, that’s not good if you wanna win with him or rebuild around him.

 

[Osakahaus]

Is he listening to the coach? I mean, if a coach says ‘do laps around the offensive zone’ ‘don’t shoot 10’ from the net’ or ‘try to deke 3 guys and lose the puck’ well, back to teaching high school hockey Barry and Lane.


Oh, so he’s not THAT talented to overcome that? He skates like the wind, edges like knives, moves like Jackson, but he got ‘snuffed?’ Well, that’s not good if you wanna win with him or rebuild around him.

The isles LITERALLY had to play that game with catch up because of leddy and bailey being stupid on the power play. iirc, BARZAL hit the post and almost tied it. what the hell are you yammering about?

 

[Throttle]

The isles LITERALLY had to play that game with catch up because of leddy and bailey being stupid on the power play. iirc, BARZAL hit the post and almost tied it. what the hell are you yammering about?

That PPG was in the first period. Hitting the post is not a goal.

I don’t think anyone would remember Yzerman’s under the cross bar GOAL vs STL, if he ‘hit the post.’

 

[Osakahaus]

That PPG was in the first period. Hitting the post is not a goal.

I don’t think anyone would remember Yzerman’s under the cross bar GOAL vs STL, if he ‘hit the post.’

Second period they allowed that shorthanded goal.

 

[Throttle]

Second period they allowed that shorthanded goal.

Oh, sorry, 38 mins to go in a 60 min game. Not enough time I guess.

Only in Barzalland do people give credit for ‘hitting posts.’

 

[Osakahaus]

Oh, sorry, 38 mins to go in a 60 min game. Not enough time I guess.

because tampa bay LITERALLY was breathing down them the entire game. you watched it. we all watched it.

 

[Throttle]

because tampa bay LITERALLY was breathing down them the entire game. you watched it. we all watched it.

Isn’t he the fastest skater on the ice?

 

[YearlyLottery]

Wow do we love to grade Barzal on a curve around here and throw in all kinds of qualifiers about him to avoid saying he hasn’t been the superstar player we hoped he’d be. In my opinion Barzal just misses.

Barzal is a good player but so many here romanticize about his talent and the effect he’s had on the team. It ain’t as much as you make it out.

I realize the team has been talent starved for years but can we please cut it out already?

As for my Tavares mention, go back and look at what I responded to. There’s nothing more that needed to be said.

I'm not grading Barzal on a curve. All I did was point out he was the first line center for the most successful time period the Islanders have had since the dynasty years.

Apologies about the Tavares reply. Misread that.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Barzal was a complete no show vs PIT - so, yeah, the rest of the team (ie Palms) pushed through that series vs a sieve of a goaltender. The biggest question going into the BOS series was whether he would show up. He had a solid series, but let’s stop acting like he contributed to the opening series - he didn’t.

Game 7 vs. TB the mighty Barzal played 20 minutes and had a whopping one shot on net. Way to use that talent and lead the team to victory. But, he cried so it was ok.

I am no Barzal apologist. Game 7 fact of the matter is you need the team's first line center to come out and get a goal. 100% agree with you.

 

[Mike C]

Is he listening to the coach? I mean, if a coach says ‘do laps around the offensive zone’ ‘don’t shoot 10’ from the net’ or ‘try to deke 3 guys and lose the puck’ well, back to teaching high school hockey Barry and Lane.


Oh, so he’s not THAT talented to overcome that? He skates like the wind, edges like knives, moves like Jackson, but he got ‘snuffed?’ Well, that’s not good if you wanna win with him or rebuild around him.

Michael Jackson?

 

[Mike C]

Barzal was a complete no show vs PIT - so, yeah, the rest of the team (ie Palms) pushed through that series vs a sieve of a goaltender. The biggest question going into the BOS series was whether he would show up. He had a solid series, but let’s stop acting like he contributed to the opening series - he didn’t.

Game 7 vs. TB the mighty Barzal played 20 minutes and had a whopping one shot on net. Way to use that talent and lead the team to victory. But, he cried so it was ok.

I cried too!

 

[The Real JT]

The last TB series was nearly 2 years ago. Time to let it go.

This is a different team with a different coach and that’s not meant to be a compliment.

 

[19 Straight]

Barzal was a complete no show vs PIT - so, yeah, the rest of the team (ie Palms) pushed through that series vs a sieve of a goaltender. The biggest question going into the BOS series was whether he would show up. He had a solid series, but let’s stop acting like he contributed to the opening series - he didn’t.

Game 7 vs. TB the mighty Barzal played 20 minutes and had a whopping one shot on net. Way to use that talent and lead the team to victory. But, he cried so it was ok.

He played those playoffs on a line with Eberle (who played like crap and who is a streaky player who never got hot in the playoffs ) and Uncle Leo. It was ridiculous to saddle the best offensive player on the team with one line mate who scored two goals in 60 playofff games and another who could skate with eggs in his pants and come off the ice at the end of the game with none of them broken.

 

[CupHolders]

Bah... that whole Barzal a "no show" for game seven is just silly... as usual.

Where was Point, Kucherov, Stamkos, Hedman with help from the rest of their 90M+ lineup also going scoreless?

- - -

@MJF,

Unfortunately, Dale Hunter made it inconclusive that Turgeon was materially more impactful than Barzal to the Isles. On one hand he was an offensive machine, who played a great first round. On the other, he never really had the opportunity to push his team to a conference final; much less twice.

But I'm a huge fan of Turgeon so I won't belabor any negativity towards him. I'm always happy to see him show up in the media and felt genuinely heartbroken for him and his family's tragic loss of his daughter.