How do the Islanders best use Mathew Barzal without impacting Cal Ritchie's development?

Mathew Barzal watched the Islanders’ season-opening loss from the Scotiabank Arena press box, sitting with the team’s healthy scratches and much of its brass.

From a distance, he appeared to smile often.

That certainly has no medical relevance. But the top-six forward’s happiness is often tied with his hockey fortunes. So, extrapolating further, Barzal’s good mood would seem to be in line with general manager Mathieu Darche’s stated hope that a reduction in the inflammation in Barzal’s left knee will allow him to resume skating either this weekend or by early next week.

Then, Darche continued, the hope is that after a few practices Barzal will be able to make his season debut after missing all of training camp and the four-game preseason. That almost certainly rules him out of Saturday night’s home opener against the Devils at UBS Arena. Even Tuesday night’s match against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden would seem doubtful.

Whenever Barzal returns, there is the question of where he fits back into the lineup and how coach Pete DeBoer can best use his personnel to boost production after the Islanders finished 24th in the NHL last season in goals scored with an average of 2.8 per game.

DeBoer said at the end of last season and again in training camp that he wanted to use Barzal’s elite speed and skating as a center, presumably as the second-line pivot with Bo Horvat centering the top line.

But Cal Ritchie has started the season centering a second line with Matias Maccelli and Brayden Schenn on the wings, though DeBoer elevated an effective Anthony Duclair to the trio in Maccelli’s spot in the second period of Wednesday night’s 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs. Multiple line combinations were tried as the Islanders finished strong in the third period.

There’s certainly interest from Darche and DeBoer in maximizing the development of Ritchie, 21, as a center as he enters his second season with the Islanders.

“It’s an opportunity for him,” Darche said of Ritchie. “I thought he had a great first game at [training] camp. After that, we didn’t always have the greatest rosters. He’s still young. The way he finished last year, we’re excited where he can bring his game. It’s for him to bring it to that level and we have the confidence he will. Even when Mathew comes, if [Ritchie] ends up on the wing, it’s not because it’s a failure at center. It’s a process. It’s not an easy position to play for a young player. He’s got the size. He got a lot stronger this summer.”

Ritchie notched 13 goals and 17 assists in 65 games as a rookie and more production is necessary to justify his spot among the top six forwards. He’s also being used between the circles on the second power play unit.

Once Barzal returns, DeBoer could re-insert him in the middle on the second line, perhaps with the speedy, nose-for-the-net Maccelli and Ritchie on his wings. Schenn or Simon Holmstrom, who started on Horvat’s left wing along with Kyle Palmieri, could easily slide to Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s third line, especially if rookie Victor Eklund continues to impress.

It’s not inconceivable that Eklund could force his way into the top six.

“Anything can happen,” Eklund said. “You’ve got to be on your toes every day. You’ve got to want to play every day. These are the kind of things they look at. I really wanted to be here. Yeah, I’m happy for myself.”

Horvat’s trio with Holmstrom and Palmieri generated 15 chances for against seven chances against in their 7:16 of ice time, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. But that trio did not generate a high-danger chance while being on the ice for two against and their expected goals for of 0.44 was below their expected goals against of 0.52.

Barzal has skated frequently on Horvat’s wing since the latter’s acquisition from the Canucks in 2023. Perhaps DeBoer decides to load up his top line again. It will be interesting to see if Barzal goes right back on the top power play unit with Matthew Schaefer or if DeBoer and assistant coach Rocky Thompson balance out the units and have Barzal skate on the Tony DeAngelo-quarterbacked second group.

“He’s preparing,” DeBoer said of Barzal. “He’s doing everything except getting on the ice. So I think that’s coming. It’s around the corner.”

And then DeBoer and Darche can decide how best to use Barzal.

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.