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Star forward Mathew Barzal has agreed to terms with the New York Islanders on an eight-year extension worth $73.2 million with an annual salary cap hit of $9.15 million.
Barzal has led the team in scoring, or been tied for the lead, every season since he became a full-time NHL player in 2017-18. He has 349 points in 411 regular-season and playoff games for the Islanders. In 73 games with the Islanders last season, Barzal registered 15 goals and 44 assists for 59 points, marking his fifth straight season he has led the Islanders in points.
The Islanders selected Barzal in the first round (16th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. He said recently of the team: “We feel recharged. We feel like everybody had good summers and worked hard, and we got that excitement back.”
General manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters at the team’s practice facility on Long Island: “I’m a fan because Mat has the ability to raise his game and to be a special player. And now, with this contract and our faith in him, (it) puts that responsibility on him. We’re trusting that. It’s up to him to respond to that.”
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