Seattle Thunderbirds forward Barzal showing signs of stardom in WHL

KENT, Wash. - Mathew Barzal has all the attributes of a great offensive hockey player. He also has that indescribable something extra that has scouts predicting big things for the Seattle Thunderbirds centre.

Leland Mack, the Thunderbirds scout who recommended Barzal be taken with the top pick in the 2012 Western Hockey League bantam draft, said the only player who is similar is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, another western Canadian player who was selected with the top pick in the 2011 NHL draft and now plays with the Edmonton Oilers.

"They have a lot of similarities," Mack said. "They just have that special glow around them."

Barzal, 16, hasn't let the pressure of being the top pick affect the start to his WHL career. In his first 10 games, the native of Coquitlam, B.C., has led Seattle to an 8-2-0-0 record, leads the team at plus-8 and has scored three goals with 11 assists.

"It's pretty impressive the amount of offence he generates," Seattle coach Steve Konowalchuk said. "He's just a smart player who makes good plays and good decisions with the puck."

Articulate with the media, Barzal seems to have an innate sense of how to walk that fine line between confidence and cockiness.

"The league has really good so far," Barzal said. "I knew it would be a lot quicker and it has. I don't have as much time with the puck as I used to and everything is just harder. Everything has just gone really well so far."

Many are already predicting the five-foot-11, 170-pound centre will be in the NHL at age 18. That's one area of discussion where Barzal treads lightly.

"I'm not thinking about that right now, obviously I'm focusing on this season," Barzal said. "But it is a goal of mine. I think that should be the goal of all top prospects."

Mack, who has been watching Barzal since age 10, said it's a realistic goal.

"It all depends on how much weight he puts on," Mack said. "He's so exceptional in every way, but the question is whether he will have the weight and strength."

Konowalchuk, who played 790 games in a 15-year NHL career, said Barzal is off to a fast start on his sprint toward a professional hockey career.

"He's improving, getting better every day," Konowalchuk said. "There are a lot of guys who have the talent to play in the NHL, but to do that you have to play a complete hockey game, be a good defensive hockey player and win battles to get the puck. He's improved and is more consistent in all of those areas."

Konowalchuk said that Barzal's exceptional vision will probably mean he will always have more assists than goals.

"His talent is unique and he makes it easy for the other guys to play with him," Konowalchuk said. "He's such a good passer that he has fit right in."

Mack said that's something Barzal has done since he was 10 playing against older players.

"He just has the vision to find people who are wide open in the scoring areas," Mack said. "He has that spatial awareness and his shooting ability is getting better and evolving."

That vision helped Barzal score 103 points (29 goals and 74 assists) for the Vancouver NE Chiefs last season.

"My success isn't determined by points," Barzal said. "I can have a great game and go pointless. I don't care if I score 15 goals or 50 as long as we win."

Barzal took a long time contemplating his decision to either play for the Thunderbirds or accept a scholarship to play at a prestigious U.S. college. He made a recruiting trip to Boston before announcing his decision to play in the WHL in May.

He said he's had no second thoughts and quickly showed the ability to rise to the moment during his WHL debut on Sept. 21. In front of more than 5,000 screaming fans in Kent against bitter rival and the defending league champion Portland Winterhawks, Konowalchuk paid Barzal the ultimate compliment by selecting the rookie to go first in a shootout.

After nearly losing the puck by pushing it too far up the ice, Barzal improvised and scored in what turned out to be a 4-3 Seattle win.

"If I would have pushed it any farther it would have been a dump in," Barzal laughed afterward before getting serious when asked if he was surprised and honoured to hear his name called first in the shootout.

"I was," he said, "just because of all the talent on this team."

It's still early in his WHL career and the 2015 NHL draft is a long way off, but Barzal has already shown he is comfortable hearing his name called first.