Islanders Punish Star Mat Barzal for Breaking Team Rule
Photo credit: The Hockey Writers
The New York Islanders and head coach Patrick Roy have announced that top forward Mat Barzal has been made a healthy scratch for their next game after he was late to the rink.
We don't often see NHL teams designate their top players as a healthy scratch, but the New York Islanders have done so with forward Mat Barzal.
Barzal was reportedly late to the rink and was made a healthy scratch by head coach Patrick Roy as punishment for their upcoming game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Roy said that while Barzal is disappointed, he understands the decision.
That's the culture of our team. And we made the decision not to play him tonight. And Barzy's not happy, he doesn't feel good about it. He respects the decision, he understands it. He was really good about it.
Like I said to him, it happened to me when I was in Colorado. Different way, but [I] missed a practice, missed two games. That's the culture of our team, we believe in it. But he's good about it. He's very good about it. - Patrick Roy
Like I said to him, it happened to me when I was in Colorado. Different way, but [I] missed a practice, missed two games. That's the culture of our team, we believe in it. But he's good about it. He's very good about it. - Patrick Roy
So far this year, Barzal has eight points (2G, 6A) in nine games for the Islanders, who are dead last in the Metropolitan Division standings.
Mat Barzal Is In His Ninth Full Year With The Islanders
Barzal, whom the Islanders took with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, is playing in his ninth full year with the team.
He was signed to an eight year extension with an AAV (average annual value) of $9,150,000 in October of 2022.
So far in his career, he has 470 points (136G, 334A).
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