The headliners at Islanders breakup day were the people who spoke last: Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck were the final two players to talk, followed by Lou Lamoriello and Patrick Roy.
That rendered the other 20 or so people who spoke secondary in the moment, but the same tonal shift evident from Lamoriello was echoed by key members of the core. The Islanders might still believe they have what it takes in the room to win, but they are not ignorant of how hard it is for the fanbase to believe that.
Asked whether he’s nervous about changes to the roster, Mat Barzal replied, “Definitely. It’s been three years now where we haven’t got over the hump in the first round.
“There’s a high standard with Lou and Patty. Our owner’s obviously put in the money with a new rink and everything. Obviously there’s a standard that they want. And I like that just because we got to the first round or got to the playoffs, it’s not a successful season, per se. So, obviously, I want to be a part of something that has the standard and wants to win.”
