Varlamov Starts For The First Time Since November 2024, As Questions Loom About A Potential Matthew Barzal Trade
The Islanders are going to have a busy offseason. They got some good news yesterday, with Semyon Varlamov starting for the Bridgeport Islanders. That stat was his first since November 2024 due to injury. His potential return means David Rittich may not be re-signed. The team needs only one backup goaltender.
The Islanders also have a lot of free agent decisions to make in the offseason. Every player on the roster is available, even if they are under contract. This includes 2025-6 leading scorer Matthew Barzal. He could be traded.
The team failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season with him. If General Manager Mathieu Darche wants to shake things up, trading Barzal would be one way to. Should the Islanders trade Barzal?
2026 Islanders Offseason News
The Isles are going to have a busy offseason. It is wise to expect news from the team 3-5 times a week. When there is significant news to pass along, Total Apex will write an article about it all offseason. The biggest news from yesterday was that Semyon Varlamov started in goal for the Bridgeport Islanders last night.
This was his first appearance in a game since November 2024. He had both knees replaced. Varlamov played well, and Bridgeport won 5-2. He saved 20 of 22 shots in the win over the Hartford Wolfpack. It remains to be seen if Varlamov will make the Islanders next season. His fate is tied to that of free agent goaltender David Rittich.
Varlamov should make one more start this weekend for Bridgeport, but since he has been loaned to the minor league team, he is not eligible to play in the playoffs. If he can play for the team next year, the team may not need to re-sign free-agent Rittich. Varlamov is a free agent after next season.
Should Matthew Barzal Be Traded?
The team might want to shake things up. Trading one of their best players would certainly do that. Barzal is 29 years old. He had 72 points in 81 games played this season for the team. He led them in scoring. Barzal has six years left on his contract, and his cap cost is 9.15 million dollars a year. Those are the facts.
The case for trading Barzal starts with his exhorbidant cap hit. Trading him would save the team a lot of money, though it remains to be seen what they would get back. He is a great skater who looks to create and pass first. He is the point guard on the team’s first power play unit.
That unit ranked 29th in the National Hockey League last Season, and had been mired around 18% in the last 8 years. That is through multiple coaches. Barzal has been the constant. He skates up and down the boards, looking to create an opportunity, and wastes tens of seconds. Trading Barzal is not as crazy as it sounds.
Not only does he have a large cap hit, but he is a big part of an ineffective unit. The Maxim in equities is to buy low and sell high. The team would be selling high if it dealt Barzal. His play-making talents would be maximized with a high-end scorer, like Connor McDavid. Barrzal is from the Pacific Northwest, so Edmontain is a possible destination.
What Changes Come Next?
Maybe the team will trade Mat Barzal, and maybe Semeyon Varlamov is well enough to be the backup goaltender next year. That said, there are several free agents on the roster, and the rest of the players could be for sale. Something big is going to happen this offseason.
