SAN JOSE, Calif. — This past March, as the Islanders were nearing the end of another disappointing season that eventually brought an organizational overhaul, it became clear Mathew Barzal was their shining beacon of hope. He was pretty much a shoo-in for the Calder Trophy at that point, but even before he went on to win it, he was thinking long term.
“At the end of the day,” he said back then, “it’s a career and I don’t want to just be a one-season guy.”
Barzal, the lone Islanders representative for All-Star weekend, has backed up his great rookie campaign with a stellar sophomore season.