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Mathew Barzal returns to Islanders practice in encouraging injury sign
Mathew Barzal returned to Islanders practice for the first time this season, an encouraging step after a left knee injury kept him out of training camp and the team’s first 14 games. His return could help an Islanders side that has struggled to score and on the power play, though he is not yet cleared for contact or available to play.
The 29-year-old led New York with 72 points last season, including 19 goals, and has recorded 534 points in 611 career games with the club. The Islanders’ power play ranks 29th in the league at 15.9 per cent, while they average 2.79 goals per game; injured defenceman Ryan Pulock and forward Matias Maccelli also practised in non-contact jerseys.
In short
- Barzal resumed skating with the Islanders after missing 14 games.
- He remains in a non-contact jersey and has no confirmed return date.
- New York’s power play is operating at 15.9 per cent.
Explained simply
Mathew Barzal is a forward for the New York Islanders, an ice hockey team in the NHL, the main professional league in North America. He has been one of the club’s leading scorers, with 534 points across 611 games for the Islanders.
The Islanders rely on goals from players such as Barzal, and their power play—when a team has an extra player on the ice because an opponent is penalised—has been among the league’s less effective. His knee injury has kept him out since before the season began, so his progress is relevant to the team’s scoring options.