Mathew Barzal gets passing grade despite tough year

Mathew Barzal and the New York Islanders have had a tough season, to say the least. An injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign has left Barzal and the Islanders falling short of expectations.

Yes, Barzal is still very much a great player. And yes, the Islanders are very much a solid team. But the lack of consistency and continuity stemming from injuries has made it increasingly challenging to get into a rhythm.

That’s been the storyline of this season’s struggles for Barzal and the Isles. Just when things seem to be heading in the right direction, injuries hit derailing momentum. With momentum being crucial in sports, the start-and-stop nature of Barzal’s season has been tremendously detrimental.

Heading into the 4 Nations break, Barzal has played in only 30 of the Islanders’ 55 games this season. In those 30 games, he’s put up six goals and 14 assists for 20 points. Those are not bad numbers considering the circumstances.

Moreover, Barzal is a +10, making him a solid part of the Isles’ top six. His overall absence has been noticeable, causing part of the Islanders’ lack of scoring this season. The hope is that Barzal can return to the lineup once the 4 Nations break ends, leading the Islanders on one final push to chase down a playoff spot.

Injuries have been the tale of Mathew Barzal’s season

The overarching narrative this season has been the injury-filled campaign that’s kept Barzal out of the lineup. Barzal’s first stint on the injury list landed him on LTIR with an upper-body injury. He first hit the shelf in early November of last year and did not return until mid-December.

Then, injury struck again earlier this month when Barzal left the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 1 and did not return. Since then, he’s had a minor procedure done on one of his knees, potentially nipping any issues in the bud.

As my colleague Michael Stahurski initially reported, the recovery timeline is 4 to 6 weeks, though that timeframe could vary depending on the specific circumstances. While there’s an outside chance these two weeks off could help Barzal return to the lineup sooner, it’s best not to hold your breath.

The silver lining is that the two-week layoff will cut into that recovery time, potentially reducing the time that Barzal is out of the lineup. If everything goes according to schedule, he’ll be back in time for one final push to end the season.

All told, injuries and lack of continuity have heavily impacted Barzal’s season. He still gets a passing grade at the break as Mathew Barzal is one of the most important players in the Isles’ recipe for success. The Islanders are much better with him than without him.