Mathew Barzal happy to wing it with Bo Horvat on Isles' No. 1 line

PHILADELPHIA — Bo Horvat’s debut with the Islanders also marks a potential long-term switch in roles for Mathew Barzal, provided the two elite playmakers can find chemistry as linemates.

Horvat centered the top line — essentially Barzal’s job since John Tavares left for Toronto in 2018 — on Monday night against the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center while Barzal slid over to right wing. Josh Bailey completed the trio.

“There definitely are some differences,” Barzal said. “Maybe it allows me to use my speed a little more. Maybe a little more attacking one-on-one. Making those little plays on the wall, spring guys for two-on-ones. I feel I can do that kind of stuff. Me and Bo have chatted. It’s just going to be a lot of reading off each other and playing on instincts.”

The Islanders acquired the former Canucks captain last Monday for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a top-12 protected first-round pick. Horvat agreed to an eight-year, $68 million extension on Sunday.

He and Barzal, who agreed to an eight-year, $73.2 million extension in training camp, are expected to be organizational cornerstones for a long time. Barzal has long needed a strong finisher to complement his passing and skating skills.

“You want to do whatever you can to help this team win,” Horvat said. “For them to put their trust in me and believe in me, it just makes me want to work that much harder and push myself that much more to try to get these guys in the playoffs.”

Horvat had 31 goals and 23 assists in 49 games for the Canucks. Barzal had 12 goals and 31 assists in his first 51 games, snapping a 10-game goal drought in a 2-1 overtime win over Vegas on Jan. 28 that preceded the Islanders’ eight-day All-Star break/bye week.

Naturally, coach Lane Lambert wasted little time seeing if the two are compatible.

“I don’t think there’s going to be too much shifting around,” Lambert said. “We have a pretty good idea of where everyone is to be slotted right now and we’ll adjust from there. I don’t think it should be too impactful in terms of the adjusting.”

Horvat entered Monday having won 59.4% of his faceoffs, eighth in the NHL, and Barzal was at 35.9%. That is one factor in determining which of the natural centers plays in the middle. Barzal also is most effective with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.

“We’ll see,” Barzal said when asked if he expects to control the puck as much. “I haven’t really played wing too much. I think with Bo down the middle, he’s going to try to get me the puck, so hopefully I can get my touches.”

Barzal said he does not anticipate a tough transition and is excited about teaming with Horvat.

Also, good offensive players make instinctual plays in the offensive zone. It’s the defensive assignments where there are more defined roles for a center compared to a wing.

“I’ve been here for so long, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on what wingers are supposed to do,” Barzal said.

There is some familiarity for Barzal in this sort of hybrid role after having fourth-line pivot Casey Cizikas elevated to his line the previous five games.

Lambert hopes Barzal and Horvat can coax more production out of Bailey, who entered Monday without a point in five games and without a goal in 16. He had been dropped to the fourth line.

“This is a great opportunity for him,” Lambert said. “We’re looking forward to that happening.”

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

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.