PuckSleuth
13Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots R
Mathew Barzal
Age 29 · 6'1" · 190 lb · Born in Coquitlam, CAN
Cap hit
$9.15M
8.8% of $104M cap
Term
5 yrs
Through 2030-31, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
22-team no-trade list
Surplus value
−$37K
vs. $9.113M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2025-26 regular season
GP
81
Goals
19
10.3% shooting
Assists
53
31 primary
Points
72
0.89 per game
TOI/GP
20:39
PP 3:28 · PK 0:02
xGF%
51.6
5v5, -10.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.04
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
39.8
210 W · 318 L
Plus/minus
+10
Blocks 50 · Hits 29
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14 vs CAR · L 2-1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19:55 | 2:24 | 0:00 | 1-3 | 25 | 4 | 1 | +1 | +0.02 |
| Apr 12 vs MTL · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 22:40 | 3:06 | 0:00 | 0-1 | 75 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.21 |
| Apr 11 vs OTT · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 22:49 | 7:09 | 0:00 | 1-2 | 100 | 0 | 1 | -1 | +0.01 |
| Apr 9 vs TOR · W 5-3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 21:36 | 5:29 | 0:00 | 0-4 | 83 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.02 |
| Apr 4 @ CAR · L 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 16:30 | 1:14 | 0:00 | — | 25 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.27 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,228 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
68th percentile
94th percentile
49th percentile
72nd percentile
88th percentile
72nd percentile
74th percentile
83rd percentile
37th percentile
66th percentile
11th percentile
32nd percentile
64th percentile
77th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleElite playmaking center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Barzal orchestrates offense through elite passing and transition play, using his speed to generate rush chances and create high-danger chances. His game is built on skill rather than physicality or defensive grit, which limits his two-way impact.
- Shooting volume
- 70
- Playmaking
- 91
- Zone entries(est.)
- 7
- Forechecking
- 28
- Physicality
- 10
- Defensive impact
- 21
- Puck management
- 48
- Speed
- 79
Where he shoots from
Slot 39% · Mid-range 39% · Perimeter 22%(283 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Playmaking elite at 91st percentile, generating 53 assists in 81 games
- Speed in the 79th percentile fuels transition game and rush chances
- Shooting volume above 70th percentile despite not finishing in slot often
Watch-outs
- Zone entry creation well below average at 7th percentile suggests difficulty generating clean offense
- Physicality in just 10th percentile means he won't impact play through contact
- Forechecking in 28th percentile means limited puck recovery at opponent's end
Similar style: Jake Guentzel (TBL), Tage Thompson (BUF)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 81 GP · goals above average
Season total +3.2 goals, or +0.04 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +2.1
- Even strength defense
- -1.3
- Power play
- -0.4
- Penalty kill
- +0.1
- Finishing
- -4.0
- Playmaking
- +5.7
- Penalties
- +2.1
- Faceoffs
- -1.1
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NYI | 81 | 19 | 53 | 72 | +10 | 184 | 20:39 | 39.8% | +0.04 |
| 2024-25 | NYI | 30 | 6 | 14 | 20 | +10 | 78 | 20:21 | 42.3% | +0.03 |
| 2023-24 | NYI | 80 | 23 | 57 | 80 | -4 | 240 | 20:08 | 43.0% | +0.16 |
| 2022-23 | NYI | 58 | 14 | 37 | 51 | +5 | 139 | 18:43 | 35.6% | +0.06 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- New Timeline for Potential Mathew Barzal Return for NY Islanders Revealed
Sports Illustrated · Oct 3
- Latest On Islanders Injured Forward Mathew Barzal
Yahoo · Oct 3
- Devils enjoying a healthy Jack Hughes while Isles miss Mathew Barzal
THE BIG 1050 · Oct 3
- Victor Eklund’s Islanders Future Comes Down To One Simple Question
theelmonters.com · Oct 2
- How do the Islanders best use Mathew Barzal when he returns?
newsday.com · Oct 1
- NY Islanders give optimistic update on Mathew Barzal's early season status
Eyes On Isles · Oct 1
- POWER PLAY PROBLEMS: Islanders Offense STALLS Without Mathew Barzal, Toronto CAPITALIZES
KTVB · Oct 1
- Islanders Mathew Barzal To Miss Opening Night, Could Return To Ice This Weekend
sports.yahoo.com · Sep 30
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.02 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.5 mph
- 63rd pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 313
- Hardest shot
- 83.9 mph
- 43rd pct
- Distance
- 274.3 mi
- OZ time
- 45.4%
- 89th pct
- DZ time
- 37.8%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 29, forwards typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 33, when the typical level is 69%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
5 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | NYI | $9.15M | 8.8% |
| 2027-28 | NYI | $9.15M | 8.1% |
| 2028-29 | NYI | $9.15M | — |
| 2029-30 | NYI | $9.15M | — |
| 2030-31 | NYI | $9.15M | — |
UFA after 2030-31. M-NTC (22-team list). $45.75M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).