The New York Islanders had a rough season on the ice in 2024-25. Mathew Barzal and company were expected to compete for the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past season. To an extent, they did. However, they also languished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference for much of the season.
It did work out, at least to some extent. The Islanders won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery and will pick No. 1 at the draft in late June. This allows them to add a potential superstar prospect to the team. However, they could also trade some of their stars this summer.
The Islanders have a new general manager in Mathieu Darche. Darche could make changes to the team’s current makeup—especially some of the players who could benefit from a fresh start. Daily Faceoff senior writer Matt Larkin believes Barzal is one potential trade candidate for the Islanders.
“Barzal’s prime is ticking away. His Isles haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2020-21. He has spun his wheels in recent years, whether it’s because the team played a conservative style, he was banged up, or both,” Larkin wrote.
“He’s a supremely gifted skater and puckhandler, and it feels like he’s capable of reaching a much higher ceiling if placed in a situation that lets him play a looser style. At 27, he could still produce like a star if given a chance to reset.”
Why Mathew Barzal Trade Makes Sense For Islanders
Emilee Chinn/Getty ImagesThere may be some logic to a potential Mathew Barzal trade for the New York Islanders.
The Islanders are in a unique opportunity. They have the No. 1 pick in a draft where there isn’t a clear-cut first pick. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer is widely agreed to be the best player in the class. However, forwards Michael Misa, James Hagens, and Porter Martone are also potential options.
This could incentivize the Islanders to trade the first overall pick. They could get a major haul for this selection and rebuild the team. However, Larkin believes the team could achieve the same aim by keeping the first overall pick and trading Barzal.
“They have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild the right way. Imagine the prospect haul they could get for Barzal, who has lots of good hockey left at 27 and whose $9.15 million AAV is palatable with a rising cap,” the Daily Faceoff writer wrote.
Barzal Opens up on Injury Struggles in 2024-25
Barzal struggled mightily with injury issues during the 2024-25 campaign. He played a total of 30 games during the regular season. He missed the team’s final 10 weeks of the year. During that time, the Islanders dropped 11 of their last 14 games.
The Islanders forward opened up about how missing those games affected him. Not being out there with his teammates took its toll mentally. All he wanted was to battle alongside his teammates on the ice.
“You miss so many moments,” Barzal said, via New York Post reporter Ethan Sears. “Boys come back from the road, talking about the road trip at the lunch table. Watching the games, having a big road win. There’s nothing better than going on the road and winning a big game. Just not being able to be a part of that stuff, it killed me. I’m not sugarcoating it. It was horrible mentally.”
Barzal is hoping to return with a clean bill of health in 2025-26. Whether he takes the ice with another team remains to be seen. Hopefully, he plays with no injury complications, no matter which city he calls home next year.
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