Barzal Returns to Seattle

Back in Emerald City.
The New York Islanders' first-ever game in Seattle will also serve as a bit of a homecoming for Mathew Barzal, who played four seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 2013-17.

Barzal, who the Thunderbirds selected first overall in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft, would go on to co-captain the team to its first-ever WHL Playoff Ed Chynoweth Cup championship in 2017 as he played alongside some future NHLers in Carolina's Ethan Bear and Vegas' Shea Theodore.
Those formative years and fond memories have stuck with Barzal years later and only heightened his anticipation to return to Seattle, but this time to play at the NHL level against the league's 32nd franchise.

"Just that feeling you get when you have history in a certain spot," Barzal said following the team's practice on Monday afternoon. "When we won that championship there was this euphoric feeling that I got, and we got as a team. We felt like we worked so hard for four years to accomplish that in my 19 (year old) year. A bunch of my good friends and teammates that year, we came up at 16, 17, 18 and then we won at 19 so it was super rewarding."
During that championship-winning run in 2017, Barzal faced adversity early on as he had to miss the first round after contracting mono. But that didn't stop the current Islanders' leading scorer from getting back in the lineup to help his team to eventually hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup in a dramatic 4-3 overtime win in Game 6.
"He set the tone for our team as he tried so hard to do whatever he could to get back from that, so he only missed minimal time," Thunderbirds Head Coach Steve Konowalchuk said. "That mentality that he had was embraced by the whole team just throughout that whole playoff run. They just wanted to do it for each other. That kind of mentality that Mat was a big part of setting, just spread through the whole team. Through adversity it didn't matter.
"For the fan base, who hadn't won in Seattle, it was pretty special," Konowalchuk continued. "There was a big group of people waiting outside to cheer on the players. They were very excited. It was a special time for me throughout my whole career as a player and coach. That whole run was one of the most memorable things I've been part of. That was a special group of players. They formed a special bond."

Upon his return to Seattle on Monday, Barzal, made sure to soak it all up. He was spotted on the bench taking in Climate Pledge Arena and shared an appreciation for the arena's architecture and fitting touches.
"It is unbelievable out there," Barzal said. "The standing area up top with the light shining through. It's similar seating in the way it's built to UBS. I love the lighting, it's like a Seattle highlight with the light coming in. It's a little bit outdoorsy."
And while Barzal will be donning his Islanders' Blue and Orange, he's looking forward to seeing some familiar faces in the stands wearing the Thunderbirds' navy blue, emerald green and white threads.
"I know tomorrow night there's probably going to be a bunch of Thunderbird fans," Barzal said. "I texted our assistant coach from when I was playing here, and it sounds like the whole Seattle Thunderbirds team and staff are coming. It's just awesome to be back."