Advice to Isles' Mathew Barzal: Make All-Star Game a joyous occasion 

There’s a decent chance, given Mathew Barzal’s career arc so far, this month’s All-Star Game at San Jose will be remembered as his first appearance, not the only time he participated. But there are no guarantees and the advice from others who have experienced the showcase event is to savor the moment.

“I think you really just embrace the whole thing,” said Islanders right wing Josh Bailey, who earned his first All-Star selection last season when the game was held in Tampa. “Just try to enjoy every minute of it. That’s what I did. It’s only a couple of days and it flies by. But the memories last a lifetime.”

Barzal, a 21-year-old center who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie last season, learned Wednesday of his selection by the league’s Hockey Operations Department to the Metropolitan Division squad for the three-on-three game on Jan. 26.

Barzal said it would be a “cool experience for me, being young, my first time. I’ll get my family down and they’ll enjoy it as well.”

Barzal is from Coquitlam, British Columbia and played junior hockey in Seattle so the West Coast setting works well for his family.

Bailey said the “biggest part” of his All-Star experience was sharing it with his family.

“It meant so much, not only to me but to them,” Bailey said. “To have them all there — my wife and kids, my mom, dad and brother and his girlfriend and then my wife’s side — it was a big family affair. I put them all up in a house. I tried to get over there as much as I could.”

Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who led the Capitals the past four seasons, was behind the Metropolitan Division bench in two of the previous three seasons.

“It’s a process,” Trotz said. “There’s a lot of work that goes into those All-Star weekends for the players because of the commitments they do have, from the players’ commitment to the sponsors’ commitment. It’s actually quite taxing on the players. The game is not taxing, for the most part. I told (Barzal) just to make sure to share it with his family.”

Bailey said one of the other interesting aspects — he called it a “highlight” — of the All-Star festivities is getting to know the other players.

“There are definitely guys there you already know and some guys you don’t really know personally but you’ve played a long time against,” Bailey said. “Just getting to know different guys and their personalities. Getting to chat with them a little bit.”

While the All-Star Game — a tournament, really between the four divisional squads — concludes the weekend’s events, the skills competition is very popular among players and fans the day before.

Barzal is excited for that, too.

“I’ve watched it,” Barzal said. “It seems fun. I’m sure I’ll be a little nervous but I’m also excited. It will be fun to see all the other guys in the room.”

CRAZY TALK

The Islanders had a 22-13-4 record going into Saturday night’s game at St. Louis, a very comparable mark to their 39-game record of 20-15-4 last season. The Islanders went on to finish 35-37-10 and out of the playoffs for the second straight season and the sixth time in John Tavares’ nine seasons with the team.

Trotz was asked after the Islanders’ dominating 4-0 win at Toronto on Dec. 29, in which they snapped their ex-captain’s six-game point streak, whether he was ready to say the Islanders were at least as good, if not better, without Tavares, who had 26 goals and 20 assists through Friday.

“No, I’m not,” Trotz said, with more than a hint of incredulity in his voice. “You’re always better with a player of JT’s ability. He’s an exceptional talent. Anytime you lose a John Tavares, that’s a big piece.

“But we’re not looking back,” Trotz added. “We’ve got to look forward. That’s what our organization is wanting from our players, wanting from everybody, to try to create a new era.”

NOW HE GETS IT

President and general manager Lou Lamoriello and Trotz joined the Islanders adamant in their need to create a culture change within an organization that has won just one playoff series since 1993. Altering the team’s identity to this current incarnation of a hard-working, defensively-responsible club was the new management’s goal, one further hastened with Tavares’ departure.

But Trotz admitted he didn’t understand at first how signing ex-Maple Leaf Leo Komarov to a four-year, $12-million deal and re-acquiring fan favorite Matt Martin from Toronto would contribute to the Islanders’ renovation.

Lamoriello, as the Maple Leafs GM the past three seasons, had firsthand knowledge of just how valuable the two could be, both with their off-ice leadership and dressing-room intangibles and on-ice efforts.

“I knew (Martin) a little bit because we had played a lot against him,” Trotz said. “I didn’t know Leo very well, plus I can’t understand him half the time. But I wasn’t too sure. Lou explained it to me, the reasons, but I wasn’t sure. Now, I’m sure. I understand fully. They’ve been great for us.”

SUPPORTING OVECHKIN

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has played in seven All-Star Games, including the last two and three of the last four. This season, he informed the NHL he would not participate because he wanted the rest that comes with the All-Star break.

It’s understandable since Ovechkin and the Capitals, coached by Trotz, played into June in winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

And Trotz said he supported Ovechkin’s decision, even though it means Ovechkin will be forced to miss one regular-season game for opting not to participate in the All-Star Game.

“I get it, totally,” Trotz said. “He’s been named many times. He’s put his time in. He had a full year last year and played deep into it and he’s not getting younger and he’s been a dominant face of the franchise for a long time. He’s done his share of the heavy lifting for the league. He’s up front and they were up front in this decision. Ovi has always been a standup guy that way.”

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.