Do the New York Islanders Have Enough Depth to Cover Matthew Barzal's Absence?

Friday’s 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres was enough to help the Islanders snap a brutal three-game skid, but all fans could think about was the news off the ice surrounding star forward, Matthew Barzal.  

The nine-year veteran and three-time All-Star didn’t make the trip to Buffalo, instead heading to Long Island to be examined for an upper-body injury that occurred during Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.  

Barzal, who like the rest of the team, was off to a slow start with only two goals and three assists through 10 games, is set for an undetermined stint on the sideline with the Islanders giving no timetable for his return.  

Sitting 4-5-2 and sixth in the Metropolitan Division, the Islanders now prepare for a brutal two week schedule that starts on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, followed by a five-game road trip next weekend with games against the Oilers, Canucks, and Kraken. 

Losing a forward of Barzal’s talent and expertise speaks for itself, but the repercussions could be felt immediately under first-year coach Patrick Roy, who already faces a hot seat with the team struggling. 

Barzal’s Reliability 

First and foremost, Barzal has been one of the more reliable skaters on the ice in New York, leading the league when he played in 82 games during his second year (2018), and playing in as many as 80 last year. 

Only one other player, defenseman Noah Dobson, has averaged more ice time than Barzal this season (21:12 minutes), and while he’s yet to register a point at 5v5, it’s worth noting he got off to a similar slow start last year.  

Through the month of October, Barzal registered just one goal and five assists in eight games, before responding with a monster month in November, finding the back of the net six times to go with 11 assists.  

Forward Depth  

The other piece to this puzzle, which might also explain Barzal’s sluggish start, is the Islanders’ depth.  

Fellow forward Anthony Duclair is currently missing as he battles through a lower body injury, one the Islanders don’t expect him to return from any time soon.  

The latest injury to Barzal likely leaves the bulk of the scoring chances on Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson’s stick’s, the latter currently tied on goals with Kyle Palmieri through the first few weeks of the season.  

From a broader lens though, the Islanders haven’t helped themselves by drafting poorly in recent years.  

According to the New York Times, the Islanders have only nine first rounders on the ice to start the season, while in terms of average age, they rank sixth in the league at a tick under 30.  

Can Anyone Else Step Up? 

Circling back to the above, the Islanders don’t have a great deal of prospect depth to fall back on, which can sometimes be nice when an injury to your best offensive player occurs. 

Ideally, Barzal’s absence would open some ice time for young prospects and maybe even provide a spark on offense, but with Cole Eisermann being the only consensus Top 100 prospect on the Islanders’ list right now, it’s hard to see any young bodies stepping in.  

Eisermann himself is also a complete unknown. A natural goal scorer who scored 72 times in 69 games last year NTDP, the youngster could easily go on and become a sorely needed goal scorer in New York – particularly on the power play – but with some time in the minors necessary to help him learn defensively, he’s probably a year or two away.  

Looking Ahead 

One could argue that losing players like Barzal and Duclair at this stage of the season is a positive, as injuries inevitably come for every team over the course of 82 games. But for a team that currently ranks dead last in goals scored, missing two key forwards could be disastrous.

Making matters worse, this Islanders team has made a bad habit of blowing late leads, and with the Panthers, Devils, Rangers and Hurricanes looking the part in the East this year, this is a thin team that really can’t afford to fall behind early. 

Making matters worse is the potential disconnect between Roy and the front office.  

It requires some reading between the lines, but his comments around Pierre Engvall  being recalled from the AHL suggested that General Manager Lou Lamoriello may have made that decision for him. 

Either way, it goes without saying that this is a volatile spot in the season for the Islanders, one that would see them do well to keep their heads above water.