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Mathew Barzal will not play in the Islanders' game Thursday night against the Hurricanes after showing up late to a morning practice. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal will be a healthy scratch Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes after showing up late to a morning practice, coach Patrick Roy told reporters.
According to league sources, Barzal was late for the team bus going to the rink, and this move is very much about the culture new GM Mathieu Darche wants to create with the Isles.
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Darche comes from Tampa, where last year Brayden Point was also scratched for similar reasons.
He will return to the lineup when the Islanders play the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Friday night, Roy said.
“That’s the culture of our team,” Roy told reporters, according to the New York Post. “And we made the decision not to play him tonight. And Barzy’s not happy; he doesn’t feel good about it. He respects the decision; he understands it. He was really good about it.
“Like I said to him, it happened to me when I was in Colorado. Different way, but (I) missed a practice, missed two games. That’s the culture of our team; we believe in it. But he’s good about it. He’s very good about it.”
Barzal did participate in the Islanders’ morning skate on Thursday, but was reportedly not working in his usual spot on the top power-play unit.
Barzal is second on the Islanders with eight points. He is in the third year of an eight-season contract that counts $9.15 million against the salary cap. His cap hit is the highest among Islanders players.
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