NY Islanders hold Mathew Barzal accountable in culture first decision

The New York Islanders sent a clear message Thursday morning — no one is above the team standard.

Head coach Patrick Roy announced that Mathew Barzal, the team’s star forward and offensive catalyst, would be a healthy scratch for the game against the Carolina Hurricanes after arriving late to the rink. The move, rare in today’s NHL for a player of Barzal’s stature, underscored the accountability-first culture Roy has been intent on reinforcing since his arrival behind the bench.

“That’s the culture of our team,” Roy said. “We made the decision not to play him tonight. Barzy’s not happy — he doesn’t feel good about it. He respects the decision, he understands it. He was really good about it.” Roy noted that discipline of this nature isn’t new to him personally, recalling a similar instance from his playing days. “It happened to me when I was in Colorado,” he said. “Different way, but I missed a practice and missed two games. That’s the culture of our team. We believe in it.”

Barzal took part in the morning skate as usual, but the news of his benching didn’t emerge until moments before Roy’s pregame media availability. When asked whether the policy of scratching players for lateness was new this season, Roy made clear that it was a club-wide standard, not his own invention.

“No, it’s not my standard,” he said. “It’s the organization’s standard.”

Roy confirmed Barzal will return to the lineup Friday against the Washington Capitals “with a clean slate.” The team is expected to recall a forward before puck drop Thursday, with Calum Ritchie, Marc Gatcomb, or Matthew Highmore among the options, and Marshall Warren likely returning to Bridgeport.

The decision, while bold, made one thing certain — under Patrick Roy, accountability comes before star power on Long Island.