SAN JOSE, Calif. — They’re impressed.
Mathew Barzal had not heard that specifically before taking part in his first NHL All-Star media day here Thursday night because he had not run across many of his fellow stars. But by the time the weekend is over, he will know exactly what the rest of the league thinks about the Islanders.
They’re impressed.
No less an authority than Maple Leafs All-Star center John Tavares emphatically agrees with that. “They’re having a tremendous season. Obviously, it’s a complete 180 on the defensive side,” Tavares said while wearing a Leafs crest at an All-Star gathering for the first time.