‘I love it on the Island,’ Mathew Barzal Puts to Bed Thought He’d Want to Play Elsewhere | NYHN+

It was as if Mathew Barzal was answering all of the naysayers directly on Saturday afternoon after news broke that he had signed a three-year, $21 million contract extension with the New York Islanders.

As the days went on and Barzal remained unsigned, many wondered what the hold up had been. What was taking so long? Former NHLer and Spittin’ Chicklets co-host Paul Bissonette even suggested Barzal hold out for “as long as possible” and that he didn’t think Barzal was having fun playing in Barry Trotz’s system.

That didn’t sit well with Islanders fans.

But Barzal put all of that to rest when he spoke on Saturday, expressing his love for Long Island and reiterating his excitement to be an Islander.

“I think it’s pretty clear that I love it on the island,” Barzal said during a Zoom call with reporters. “I mean I love being here. It’s just a fun place to be and a fun place to play. None of those thoughts, frustration never really started to sink in.”

In case anyone was still doubting the sincerity behind those comments, it was a main point of emphasis whenever he was answering questions about his first day on the ice or his contract.

Negotiations between Barzal and the Islanders took longer than either side would have liked. Various reports suggested that the Islanders were trying to get a long term deal completed, but the financial state of the NHL hampered that attempt.

Mathew Barzal seemingly confirmed that on Saturday, while expressing his willingness to be an Islander for many years to come.

“I love it here so I would have had no problem signing a long-term deal,” Barzal said. “At the end of the day the circumstances this year are so different and so strange, this is nothing my agent or Lou (Lamoriello) or really the league has had to deal with. It’s unfortunate times, but at the end of the day I think both sides came to a deal that we’re happy on and it’s what fits right now.

“Now we just turn the page and the next three years we try to win a Stanley Cup.”

The task of winning the franchise’s fifth Stanley Cup began on Monday when on-ice workouts began at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. While Barzal hasn’t been out on the ice with his teammates, he has been working throughout the week.

Mathew Barzal was put through the paces, as he described it, over the last four days by Johnny Boychuk, Tom Kuhnhackl and Dennis Seidenberg. The 23-year-old mentioned that his cardio was getting to where it needed to be and that the longer skate on Saturday helped as well.

Barzal had a good first day back on the ice by all accounts. The Islanders’ forward had a pair of goals during the four-on-four scrimmage and he boosted the energy of the players on the ice.

“There seemed to be a lot more chatter going on from the boys and he brings that every day,” Anders Lee said about Barzal’s return. “It’s just great to have him back. He always brings something exciting, whether it’s plays he’s making or the things he’s saying. It’s great to have Barzy back.”

If it wasn’t evident just how important Barzal was to the Islanders, it had become so during the course of the negotiations. His value on the ice is unquestionable at this point, but the importance and significance of him re-signing was equally as important.

The arrival of Lou Lamoriello, Barry Trotz and the success of the team over the previous two seasons has helped changed the perception of the organization in a massive way. Yet, there are still stigmas that it is trying to shake and that was evident during the process of re-signing Barzal.

The fear that another star player would spurn the Islanders was still very real among many Islanders fans. So the news that Barzal was here to stay created a celebratory mood across the Island.

Even Nassau County Executive Laura Curran got into the celebratory mood. And the importance of Barzal hasn’t been lost on the guys that play alongside him

“Barzy is a special guy, a special player,” Lee said. “He’s just someone that cares deeply not only about his game, but the guys around him. I think that’s what makes him a special person. He’s the cornerstone of our team a little bit here. His play dictates a lot for us. He’s just one of those guys that can change the game on a dime.”