Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Matt Barzal Deal Is A Bad One For The Islanders

10/05/2022 at 12:41am EDT

from Mike McKenna of The Daily Faceoff,

Congrats to Mathew Barzal on his gleaming 8-year, $73.2 million contract extension with the New York Islanders. But I’m having difficulty believing it will be looked upon favorably when completed in 2031.

To put it bluntly: I think Barzal’s new contract is a bad deal. Not for the player, mind you. Good for Barzal. But I believe the Islanders will feel the sting of that $9.15 million salary cap hit for years to come.

It’s not a question of whether Barzal is a great hockey player. He absolutely is. I think he’s the most electrifying player on the Islanders. But what troubles me is that the Islanders are the definition of a lunch pail team.

New York has a lot of good players that work hard. But there’s simply a dearth of elite talent. Ever since John Tavares left the Islanders in 2018, I don’t think Barzal has played alongside anyone truly capable of unlocking his offensive potential.

continued

Create an Account

In order to leave a comment, please create an account.

About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

Most Recent Posts

Most Recent Comments

Comment by damndogrevenge in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Seider's Year - 33 minutes ago
Comment by bezukov in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Seider's Year - 41 minutes ago
Comment by Paul in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Seider's Year - 45 minutes ago
Comment by bezukov in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Seider's Year - 47 minutes ago
Comment by Paul in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Seider's Year - 49 minutes ago