Pete DeBoer is excited about what the NY Islanders have down the middle

The one thing the New York Islanders have is depth down the middle. Most teams struggle to skate four quality centers. The Islanders have six, and that means that some centers will be at wing throughout the season, and new head coach Pete DeBoer is excited about it, as well as Mathew Barzal returning to his natural position.

"For me, I like that speed down the middle," DeBoer said this week. "If you look at the teams that were standing at the end of the year, there was a lot of speed through the middle of the ice."

DeBoer pointed to teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights as examples of how critical center depth and mobility have become in today's NHL.

That philosophy helps explain one of the most intriguing storylines entering training camp: Barzal's expected move back to center. "I think Barzal wants to play center," DeBoer said. "I think he's excited about it. He's embracing it. And I think that makes us a better team if he's there."

It's a notable endorsement of a player who has spent significant stretches of recent seasons on the wing. While DeBoer stopped short of declaring the move permanent, he made it clear that his preference is to keep Barzal in the middle if the experiment proves successful.

"You're never married to anything," DeBoer cautioned. "But it's got to work, too."

DeBoer's approach also extends to younger players like Calum Ritchie, who is viewed as a center long term but could see time on the wing as he develops. "I think in our system, everybody's interchangeable," DeBoer explained. "They're all going to get lots of reps as a centerman."

For DeBoer, positions may be fluid. But one thing appears certain: the Islanders' future, and perhaps their success, will be built around speed through the middle of the ice.

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