How Mat Barzal Spent His Summer

Mat Barzal is a bit of a jetsetter in the offseason, splitting his time between his hometown of Vancouver, BC, and Long Island and various international locales.

This summer was no different, with the New York Islanders star roaming around the globe, popping up periodically.

NewYorkIslanders.com caught up with Barzal during a youth hockey camp he hosted on Friday to see how he spent his summer.

NewYorkIslanders.com: So how was the summer?

Mat Barzal: My summer's been good. I was home in Vancouver for a bit, been on Long Island, hanging with my buddies here, my teammates and friends in the city. I had some good home time. I was home for my grandma's 95th birthday, which was a big one. So, yeah, summer's been great.

NYI: Know you’re a world traveler, any international trips?

Barzal: I was in Germany for a minute. I was in Mallorca, Spain, for a few days, but that's really it.

NYI: How was [former New York Islanders forward] Anthony Beauvillier’s wedding?

Barzal: Beau's wedding was so much fun. I was lucky enough to be a groomsman, so got to see it all happen behind the scenes, and we had so much fun. The dance floor was great at the wedding. He's just one of my best friends, so it was awesome to see him tie the knot with his fiancé.

NYI: We also saw you doing a little youth hockey coaching with the team Tony DeAngelo manages at the Toronto Exposure Cup. How was that?

Barzal: That was so much fun. That might be the highlight of my summer, honestly. Just being around kids, 13-and-14-year-old boys that have that hunger. They care so much. And being behind the bench, seeing a different perspective of the game was a blast. And then just doing it with Tony was even better. He's one of my closest friends.

NYI: Since you and Tony are good friends, I imagine you were pretty happy to see him sign a two-year extension.

Barzal: I was so excited when he signed. I think just to get him done was important for our team on the ice and off the ice. So I was thrilled that [he and the team] could get something to work.

NYI: What are your thoughts heading into the first full year with Pete DeBoer as a Head Coach?

Barzal: I've had some discussions with Pete, and obviously he knows the game as good as anybody, and has a great pedigree and track record. So I'm looking forward to learning from him, and trying to take my game to the next level.