Mathieu Darche has Mat Barzal decision to make and it could impact Islanders entire offseason plan

One of Mathieu Darche’s most important decisions this summer isn’t a decision at all, but a question that could prompt multiple: When the Islanders’ general manager pulls up his team’s depth chart, is Mat Barzal slotted as a right wing or a centerman?Surely, no matter what the answer is, Barzal likely will play both positions at various points during the season depending on need.That’s not the point.The point is that where the Islanders want Barzal playing has a cascading effect on their offseason.

It’s the hinge point as to whether they view themselves as having enough depth to trade a center, or need to go get one instead.If the perfect-world scenario for Darche is to keep Barzal on Bo Horvat’s right wing — out of his natural position but a spot where the eye test and advanced numbers alike show both players accessing the best versions of themselves over the past two seasons — then the Islanders find themselves with four bottom-six centers, and needing someone who can play on their second line.Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who stepped into the 2C spot out of need after the Islanders dealt away Brock Nelson at the trade deadline, never looked like a fit there.Granted, by that point in the season, the Islanders were banged-up and nearly everyone was playing up a line higher than would have been ideal, so you can put a caveat on the data.Still, Pageau was rolling along pre-trade deadline with a superb 55.76 expected goals percentage, 54.51 corsi for percentage and 56.01 goals for percentage at five-on-five, per Evolving Hockey.Post-deadline, his numbers fell off a cliff: 50.15 expected goals percentage, 49.83 goals for percentage, 46.29 corsi for percentage.When you go further down the depth chart, similar issues abound.Casey Cizikas, Kyle MacLean and Calum Ritchie — assuming the 20-year-old Ritchie starts next season in the NHL and not the AHL — would all be well-suited to center the fourth line.

Cizikas’ numbers improved post-deadline last year whe...