NY Islanders Barzal focused on comeback after another season-ending Injury

For the second time in three seasons, New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal suffered a season-ending injury. The first time, his teammates were able to make the postseason without him, and he returned for the playoffs. This time around, Barzal's focus will be on doing everything he can to be as ready as possible for when training camp opens in September.

"I love the game, I love being around my teammates," said Barzal on Saturday. "This [playing hockey] is kinda everything to me, so not to be able to play, as many games as I missed, sucked mentally and physically. My drive to get back to the player I was coming into camp last year is at an all-time high."

Barzal had two starts and stops to his season and only appeared in 30 games, scoring six goals and adding 14 assists after averaging more than a point per game the previous year. Barzal recovered from an upper-body injury that occurred in Columbus on Oct. 30 and returned to the lineup on Dec. 15, only to break his kneecap when blocking a shot in Tampa Bay. That injury, which occurred during the team's high point of the season, after seven straight wins, ended his year.

"It killed me. I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Barzal said about not being around the team at times during the season. "It was horrible mentally, but I'm fortunate to have a lot of great guys in this room, and a lot of great staff here, coaches and management to kind of lift my spirits when things are low ... this is only a bump in the road."

Barzal indicated that he was pushing hard to return for the playoffs, but started to ease things up when it became clear that the Isles would not qualify for the postseason. Now, his focus will be on doing everything possible to return to training camp as the same caliber player that Islanders fans have grown accustomed to and be the puck-mover and playmaker the offense desperately needs.