New York Islanders Best All-Decade Starting Lineup

Right-Wing | Mathew Barzal

This is where I went a bit rogue. (It’s the only time).

Mathew Barzal has never played on the wing. He’s been in the NHL for two years and he’s only ever played as a center. But I couldn’t in good conscience keep him off of this list. He’s just too good.

The right-shooting speedy playmaker has 147 points in 166 points in his short career. That’s a point-per-game rate of 0.89. That’s the third-best return over the last decade for New York Islanders players. Only Vanek (0.94 PPG) and Tavares (0.93 PPG) have better returns.

Last year was admittedly a down year. But there were very few players who had average or better years under the defensive heavy structure of Barry Trotz. Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas being the obvious exceptions.

Mathew Barzal will bounce back. It’s not possible to keep Mathew Barzal’s talent down.

Obviously, Kyle Okposo has the strongest claim to being the best right-wing for the Islanders this decade. The Isles seventh overall pick in 2006 had 325 points over 455 games with the team (0.71 PPG). But Okposo has never been a point-per-game player, Barzal has and can continue to be one.

Even the Isles longest-serving player Josh Bailey (729 games) has a good shot at being the top right-wing of the decade. His 408 points rank second for Islanders forwards this decade. But like Okposo, Bailey doesn’t compare to Barzal. Bailey might be putting up points now, but it took him almost the entire decade to get here.

Barzal is already the tenth highest scoring player for the New York Islanders this decade. He belongs on this list but isn’t good enough (yet) to unseat Tavares at center. So he becomes a winger.

Honorable Mention: Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey