Mat Barzal opens up on his future with Islanders amidst trade speculation after Lou Lamoriello’s departure

Mat Barzal and the New York Islanders face some uncertainty heading into the offseason.

Following the news of the team not renewing the contract of longtime general manager and president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello, many are speculating about the potential for big changes on the Island this summer.

Lamoriello kept a very similar roster together throughout his tenure with the Islanders. So now that he’s gone, it’s fair to wonder whether there will be a different strategy under a new regime. After an injury-riddled season, Mat Barzal is one name that has come up in some trade rumors, as other fan bases are intrigued about acquiring his services.

Amidst the speculation, Islanders beat reporter Stefen Rosner reached out to Barzal and asked him about playing for the Islanders. He shared his response on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday afternoon, reiterating his love for the organization.

“This is a great spot to play. We got a great organization from top to bottom. It’s high class the way we’re treated. So I can’t blame [anyone that wants to be back],” Barzal said.

Mat Barzal has another six years remaining on the eight-year, $73,200,000 contract extension signed with the Islanders in 2022. He holds a modified 22-team no-trade list throughout the balance of the deal, adding some complications to any potential trade.

Mat Barzal had a difficult 2024-25 campaign

The 2024-25 season did not go according to plan for Islanders star Mat Barzal.

The 27-year-old had a slow start to the season and dealt with two major injuries that cost him a total of 52 games. He produced just 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in the 30 games he did play, which was the lowest point per game rate of his eight-year NHL career.

Barzal was very honest in his end-of-season media availability, expressing how much of a toll the disappointing season took on him mentally and physically. However, he’s eager to get back to work, saying, ‘The drive to get back to the player I was coming into camp is at an all-time high. I feel like I have an internal drive to always push through anything so it’s just a bump in the road.’

Expect a motivated Barzal to have a bounce-back season in 2025-26, and he hopes that comes as a member of the New York Islanders.

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alt=”Jackson Weber” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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Edited by Jackson Weber