""I think it's just a mindset of knowing I'm going to be in more battles down low in my own end," Barzal said. "You've got to get lower in your zone instead of being a winger up high. But honestly, not much changes. Whether I'm on the wing or down the middle, I usually find myself in the middle of the ice. So it shouldn't be too much of an adjustment.""
""That was the funnest hockey I've ever been a part of," he said. "So much on the line, and I loved how much pressure you felt. I think it's less about what I learned and more the thirst to want to get back there.""
""Those guys go to work down low," Barzal said. "They're lethal goal scorers, so I'm just trying to get them the puck in good areas. Hopefully, they can get me the puck with some space and speed. I think it could be a great line.""
""Bo's just so solid all over the ice," Barzal said. "His compete level is contagious - he brings it every night.""
Mathew Barzal moves back to the center position for the Islanders' 2025-26 season opener in Pittsburgh. The positional change requires more battles down low and a lower defensive-zone stance, though his instinctive positioning often places him in the middle of the ice. Barzal previously thrived at center during the Islanders' 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup semifinal runs and expresses a strong desire to return to that high-pressure environment. After missing much of last season with injury, Barzal is healthy and eager to play. He is expected to skate with Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee and credits Bo Horvat with sharpening his two-way game.
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