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New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy speaks to members of the media before an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y.
AP
First off, the trio of Jonathan Drouin, Emil Heineman and Max Shabanov owes Mathew Barzal a nice dinner Sunday night in Philadelphia.
It is only because of Barzal that we are not talking about the Islanders middle six wingers who have up and disappeared in the middle of the season, with Drouin going scoreless in his last 28 games, Shabanov scoring once in his last 28 and Heineman scoring just twice in his last 14.
It is only because of Barzal that we are not loudly asking why Drouin continues to be a staple of not just the top six but in the lineup altogether, when the situation is crying out for a benching.
That unto itself is not a sustainable situation, but neither is a top-line center who doesn’t backcheck, as Barzal learned to his chagrin Saturday afternoon when his entire line was benched for the third period of a calamitous 5-0 loss to the Sabres on home ice.
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