Is Mathew Barzal playing today against Carolina Hurricanes? April 23, 2023 NHL Playoffs

Mathew Barzal is set to play tonight in Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite missing several games in the playoffs due to a lower-body injury, Barzal returned for Game 1 and has been an important part of the New York Islanders lineup. In Game 3, he managed to put four shots on goal and contributed a goal in the previous game, Game 2, which unfortunately resulted in an overtime loss for the Islanders.

Despite missing the first two games of the season due to a lower-body injury, Barzal returned for Game 1 on Monday and tallied 21:12 of ice time. He received another 19:06 in Game 2 and is likely to play a key role for the Islanders in tonight's game. He has been on the top line and the first power-play unit, and he is an important part of the team's attacking scheme.

Given his recent performances and the importance of tonight's game, Mathew Barzal's presence on the ice will undoubtedly be critical to the Islanders' success. Fans of the team will no doubt be eager to see him in action and hope that he can continue to make a positive impact in the playoffs.

Mathew Barzal's Impactful Journey for Islanders

Mathew Barzal has become a vital part of the New York Islanders lineup since his NHL debut in 2016. The Islanders selected him as their first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2015 NHL Draft. Barzal's debut game was against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 15, 2016, but he only played one more game with New York before being returned to Seattle for the Western Hockey League.

Barzal's career accomplishments include being named WHL Western Conference Player of the Year in 2017 and WHL playoffs MVP the following year after leading Seattle to the league championship. In 16 playoff games, he has 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists).

In his first full NHL season in 2017-18, Barzal became an impact player for the Islanders. He scored his first NHL goal against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 19, 2017, and became the first Islanders rookie to record five assists in one game against the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 5, 2017. Barzal led the Islanders in points (85) and assists (63) and won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Mathew Barzal continued his impressive form in 2018-19, leading the Islanders in scoring and helping them sweep the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2019-20 and led the Islanders with 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists) in 68 regular-season games before the season was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.