NY Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer quickly moves Mathew Barzal back to center

Peter DeBoer hasn’t had much time to study his new team up close — and he’s not pretending otherwise. Just days into the job with four games left in the season, the new Islanders head coach admitted he’s still getting familiar with his roster on the fly.

“I’m drinking through a fire hose right now, trying to get up to speed,” DeBoer said, acknowledging the whirlwind nature of his arrival.

But even with limited firsthand exposure, one decision came easy.

DeBoer quickly moved Mathew Barzal back to center.

“My initial reaction watching Mat from the other bench is, everybody’s looking for that type of speed in the middle of the ice,” DeBoer said. “That speed through the middle of the ice is really dangerous, and the good teams all have that.”

It’s a move rooted less in deep internal evaluation and more in what DeBoer has seen for years from the outside — a dynamic player whose impact is maximized when he’s driving play through the middle. While Barzal has shifted between wing and center this season, including a productive stretch on the wing, DeBoer sees his skill set as a natural fit down the middle.

And Barzal doesn’t disagree.

“I think my heart, as a player, is probably down the middle of the ice,” he said. “It allows me to do a lot of things.”

The adjustment also reflects DeBoer’s broader early approach: simplify, trust instincts, and lean into what’s obvious rather than overcomplicating things in a short window.

“I’ve got to get to know the group… I don’t know them,” DeBoer admitted. “I’ve been coaching in the West for 10 years.”

That reality makes sweeping changes unlikely. But this one? It’s a clear signal.

With the season on the line, DeBoer is starting with what he knows — and what he’s always seen in Barzal: elite speed, play-driving ability, and a player built to impact the game from the middle of the ice.

Now, the Islanders are betting that instinct pays off immediately.