The turning point of the New York Islanders’ season didn’t come after a buzzer-beater, a big trade, or a stirring speech. According to ESPN New York's Alan Hahn, it came the day the organization decided to hold one of its best players accountable — and didn’t blink.
Speaking on the Don, Hahn and Rosenberg show, Hahn pointed to the moment Mathew Barzal was scratched for missing a morning skate as the inflection point that changed everything. “They said enough’s enough,” Hahn explained. “You’re supposed to be one of our leaders, and you can’t do this.