Islanders center Mathew Barzal skates against the Bruins in the first period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Thursday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
SEATTLE — Mathew Barzal grew up north of Seattle in Coquitlam, British Columbia and played his junior hockey in Kent, Washington, about 20 miles south of the Emerald City, for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
But the Islanders’ top playmaker is tightly associated with Seattle and his first game at Climate Pledge Arena against the expansion Kraken on Tuesday night to start a five-game road trip is being treated as a major homecoming.
"It’s cool coming back here," Barzal said after the Islanders’ optional practice on Monday at the arena.