The New York Islanders know what Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal are capable of when together.

Yes, the 2024-25 season was a lost year for the duo, with Barzal sustaining two long-term injuries that limited him to just 30 games.

But in 2023-24, the duo produced.

Horvat recorded 22 goals and 26 assists at 5-on-5 that season, with Barzal posting 18 goals and 37 assists at 5-on-5, with his overall 80 points the most since his Calder-winning season back in 2017-18.

However, for the 2025-26 season, the Islanders have decided to separate Barzal and Horvat, with Barzal going back to his natural position of center.

While Barzal certainly feels more comfortable down the middle, the loss of Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline left a hole at the No. 2 center position.

While Calum Ritchie, the big-time prospect the Islanders got in return for Nelson, will have a chance to make the team out of training camp, giving him the responsibility of being the second-line center may be too much for the 20-year-old, who only has seven games of NHL experience.

Here's what Darche said when asked by “The Sheet’s” Jeff Marek about Barzal:

"The beauty of it, to me, with Mathew is yes, he's a centerman, but the more players you have that can play different positions, that gives you options," Darche said. "Last year, he had good moments with Bo Horvat, but sometimes they might both be centers, and sometimes during times of the game, times of the year, maybe they play together. So having that flexibility is great."

Darche Dissected: A Deep Dive Into His Interview On ‘The Sheet’New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche had a lot to say to Jeff Marek. Let's break it down.

The Edmonton Oilers are notorious for this method.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both centermen, with head coach Kris Knoblauch usually having them separated at 5-on-5.

However, whenever Edmonton needed to score a goal, those two usually heard their names called.

And more often than not, Edmonton found a way to put the puck in the back of the net.

It's a tremendous luxury to have the ability to do that with two top forwards.

While there's no question that if Barzal's going to play center, he's going to have to perform much better in the faceoff dot — he owns a career 42.3% on faceoffs — he is a righty. Horvat is a lefty, which allows that line to take draws and use whoever is on their strong side, another luxury.

McDavid and Draisaitl are both left-handed.

There will be times during the season, potentially late in games, where the Islanders need a goal or Roy is looking to get the boys buzzing again.

He knows what he has in his former dynamic duo and can put the two together without worrying about how they might play. One part that can't be overlooked here is the defensive play of those two.

Horvat has always been a strong two-way player, and Barzal's game away from the puck grew exponentially when he was on Horvat's wing.

So, Roy could have Horvat and Barzal out on the ice late in games, preserving a lead if he has to — the Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom duo may get tasked with that — and not have to worry about a defensive drop-off.

As of right now, we know that Jonathan Drouin will play on Horvat's left wing, but outside of that, the rest of the lineup — especially who rounds out that “top line” and who Barzal will play with — remains a mystery.

Could Kyle Palmieri flank Horvat? Will Anders Lee and Barzal be reunited long-term like we saw during the Barry Trotz days? Has Holmstrom earned the right to be the starting second-line right winger?

Roy has a ton of options, but Roy also needs results early, one would think.

If he's having a hard time finding suitable linemates to get the best out of Barzal, we may see No. 13 back on Horvat's wing in short order.

Yes, that would put the Islanders in a tough situation since, outside of Barzal, they really don't have an answer for the second-line center spot.

But maybe Ritchie surprises everybody at training camp and shows he can be that guy.

Peel Back The Curtain: Calum Ritchie's Path To Making Islanders Isn't So Far-FetchedWith the New York Islanders having a boatload of centermen, it may seem that Calum Ritchie’s chances of making the big club this fall are slim.

That would change everything because then the Islanders could have Drouin-Horvat-Barzal as a top line without hurting the overall makeup of the lineup.

Training camp opens in mid-September, as we are almost...almost a month away.