Mathew Barzal will make his NHL debut Saturday, taking the place of Anthony Beauvillier in the New York Islanders lineup versus the Washington Capitals.
Barzal will be play down the middle, shifting Ryan Strome to wing, and is also expected to see time on the top power-play unit, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple.
Beauvillier, who like Barzal was chosen in the first round in 2015, picked up an assist in a little less than 11 minutes in Thursday's loss to the New York Rangers.
The higher of the two picks, Barzal is considered more of a dynamic offensive player. He scored 27 goals and 88 points in 58 games last season.
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