The New York Islanders had a close call, nearly missing out on the playoffs this year. Fortunately, they secured their spot as the first wild card team, setting up a challenging first-round faceoff with the Carolina Hurricanes.
In a stroke of good news, Kevin Kurz has reported that the Islanders' star center, Mathew Barzal, is set to make his return in Game 1.
Barzal Will Help the Isles Against the Canes
Barzal, who recently inked an eight-year extension with an annual salary of $9.15 million starting next year, played a key role in the Islanders' back-to-back conference finals appearances in 2020 and 2021. However, they fell short of the playoffs in 2022, and they'll have their work cut out for them this time around.
With Barzal back on the ice, the Islanders' chances of making a deep run in the playoffs are looking brighter. But nothing's certain yet, because they'll have to face the hungry Hurricanes.
As reported on Hockey Patrol - BREAKING: Massive Injury Update for Barzal
| POLL | ||
14 AVRIL | 239 ANSWERS BREAKING: Massive Update in Islanders' Star Injury Do you think the Islanders will reach the second round? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 31.4 % |
| No | 164 | 68.6 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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