Mathew Barzal heeding Barry Trotz's advice and staying out of penalty box for the Islanders
Islanders center Mathew Barzal celebrates his goal against the Penguins during the third period of an NHL game at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Barry Trotz has been clear to Mathew Barzal that his true value to the Islanders is on the ice and not in the penalty box.
The top-line center certainly seems to have heeded his coach.
Barzal entered Saturday night’s game against the Bruins at Nassau Coliseum without taking a penalty in three straight games after pushing his team-high penalty minutes total to 24 with a holding call and then a high-stick that led to the Flyers’ winning power-play goal in a 4-3 overtime loss in Philadelphia on Jan. 31.
"I had to talk to Mat," Trotz said. "I said, ‘I need you on the ice, I don’t need you in the box.’ I think just being a little more disciplined with his stick and a little bit disciplined in terms of emotion — he took a 10-minute misconduct because of emotion [in a 6-3 loss in Washington on Jan. 28]. Just getting those in check.
"You’re a top player," Trotz added. "Top players get a lot of attention. To be a consistent top player, you have to have your emotions and your discipline in check so you can play through some of that. You’ve got to fight harder for inches as a guy that’s targeted every night by the opposition versus a guy that can maybe fly under the radar."
To be fair, Barzal had also drawn a team-high six penalties from opponents entering Saturday’s game, double the next best total among his teammates.
Some of it is a function of the ice time Barzal gets on the top line. But the penalties he’s taken and the penalties he’s drawn are also proof of how engaged Barzal has been this season, both battling for pucks and creating scoring chances by getting into open ice.
"I think some of them are circumstantial," Barzal said shortly after his two-minor game in Philadelphia. "I can definitely be aware of my stick a little more. I think sometimes I’m just competing or in the battle or in the moment so much that I kind of get lost with my stick a little bit. But I don’t think my game is really penalty-driven. I’ve been drawing a lot of penalties, too. But that’s no excuse to take penalties."
Suite sales pitch
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life and business. This includes a shifting profile for suite purchases at the under-construction UBS Arena at Belmont Park.
But Adam Campbell, UBS Arena’s senior vice president for premium sales, said the pandemic has not lessened the demand. The Islanders reported this week 70 percent sales for UBS Arena’s 56 suites and approximately 2,300 premium seats
"We’ve progressed really well, better than expectations," said Campbell, with the Islanders’ new arena targeted to open in November. "COVID is certainly affecting the conversations and certain industries are more sensitive than others. One of the points that’s resonating with a lot of our clients is their clients’ patterns are changing, too.
"As we look to more traditional industries — finance, insurance — many of those people have realized many of their buyers have moved out to Long Island and they’re looking at this as a long-term opportunity to engage with clients. People coming into New York City to meet, that may be adjusted."
Getting stricter
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Wednesday that sporting venues in New York could re-open to fans at 10% capacity starting on Feb. 23. On Thursday, the NHL issued stricter protocols for its personnel, including game-day rapid-testing in addition to the daily PCR tests and quarantining at home when not at arenas or practice rinks.
Trotz was asked if that’s seemingly contradictory.
"It’s a mental challenge for the players because the world is opening up a little bit and they’ve added more protocols to probably the ones who are being the most diligent," Trotz said. "We’ve been locked up and the world is starting to open up and everybody wants to jump through the hoop to be a part of it and we’ve had more protocols put on us. It’s part of the deal that we make to have the opportunity to play."
Birthplace of GMs
Former Flyers general manager and goalie Ron Hextall, who spent one season with the Islanders, was named the Penguins new GM this week. As MSG Networks noted during its broadcast of the Penguins’ 4-3 shootout win over the Islanders on Thursday, that means four of the NHL’s current 31 GMs are ex-Isles. Here’s the list and their tenure on Long Island:
Marc Bergevin (Canadiens) – Defenseman 1988-90, 76 games
Tom Fitzgerald (Devils) – Right wing 1989-93, 205 games
Bill Guerin (Wild) – Right wing 2007-09, 142 games
Ron Hextall (Penguins) – Goalie 1993-94, 65 games
Text for you
Newsday is now offering Newsday Islanders Texts, a direct text subscriber service for Islanders’ fans. You’ll receive up-to-the minute updates, exclusive news and you can interact with beat reporter Andrew Gross and other Newsday staff writers covering the Islanders. Go to www.newsday.com/islestext or text 631-303-3766 to sign up for a free, 14-day trial subscription.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
