3 questions heading into NY Islanders training camp

Who's playing center on the first line?

When the Islanders acquired Bo Horvat last season, Mat Barzal shifted to wing on the top line while Horvat slid into the center. The two found immediate success playing alongside one another until Barzal's regular season-ending injury ended the experiment.

It seems Horvat is the better option at center for the long term, as he's a cut above Barzal on the defensive end of the ice. Without the defensive responsibilities a center has to be mindful of, Barzal will be freed up to be more creative with the puck in the offensive zone, benefitting himself and his teammates.

The Islanders aren't divulging any secrets regarding what they plan to do, but Lambert believes the team knows which direction they'd like to head in.

"We'll move things around a little bit in training camp, but you know, I think there's a pretty good indication of what we're going to we're going to do," said Lambert. "Again, things change a little once you start getting a viewing of it, but I think there's an idea there."

Regardless of who plays where, Barzal and Horvat will need to re-establish the success they had together at the start of their time together and not what they produced during the playoffs.