The New York Islanders sent a clear message Thursday morning — no one is above the team standard.
Head coach Patrick Roy announced that Mathew Barzal, the team’s star forward and offensive catalyst, would be a healthy scratch for the game against the Carolina Hurricanes after arriving late to the rink. The move, rare in today’s NHL for a player of Barzal’s stature, underscored the accountability-first culture Roy has been intent on reinforcing since his arrival behind the bench.
“That’s the culture of our team,” Roy said.