Mathew Barzal contract details: Islanders lock up their star center with eight-year extension

The Islanders have locked up a key part of their future, as the team announced on Tuesday that it has given star center Mathew Barzal an eight-year, $73.2 million contract extension. 

His new contract carries an AAV of $9.15 million. The 25-year-old was set to be a restricted free agent next summer, with just one year left on his previous deal.

Barzal is coming off a solid 59-point campaign for the Islanders, scoring 15 goals and dishing out 44 assists. He was tied with Brock Nelson for the team lead in points and was first in assists, while adding 20 power play points, including 19 helpers. In his career with the team, Barzal has posted 311 points in 362 career games, including 38 points in 49 playoff contests.

"I'm a fan because Mat has the ability to raise his game and to be a special player," GM Lou Lamoriello said of giving Barzal an extension. "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." 

The native of Coquitlam, B.C. was selected with the No. 16 pick in the 2015 draft. Since arriving in New York, Barzal has been the key offensive weapon for the Islanders. He is one of the better playmakers and passers in the league, and was a major factor in the Islanders' run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2020 and the Stanley Cup Semifinals in 2021. 

MORE: Ranking the NHL's top 20 centers for the 2022-23 season

It's a sigh of relief for Islanders fans in particular, who have heard and read the rumors of Barzal potentially not signing long-term to stay on Long Island. Instead of a potential John Tavares 2.0 situation unfolding, the Islanders keep their star around for the long haul, and is the center piece that the team should be building around. 

Mathew Barzal contract details

Barzal's new contract is for eight years, carrying an AAV of $9.15 million. In total, the deal is worth $73.2 million. 

The center is in the final season of his three-year, $21 million bridge deal he signed in January of 2021. The extension will not kick in until the 2023-24 season, and will run until the conclusion of the 2030-31 campaign. 

Mathew Barzal stats

Barzal has been a consistent distributor for the club since he arrived in New York in 2017. He has hit at least 40 assists in four out of the last five years, with the lone exception being the shortened 2020-21 campaign. 

The young center hasn't quite replicated his success in his rookie season, when he put up 63 assists and 85 points on his way to the 2018 Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. However, he's still been one of the Islanders' top point producers for a few seasons now. 

While the Islanders would like to see Barzal put up more goals, it's hard to knock him considering how many assists he racks up. If the team could get him an elite scoring winger, Barzal's numbers would see a significant increase.