The 25-year-old center is in the final season of a three-year contract he agreed to Jan. 9, 2021, and could have become a restricted free agent after the season.
"I love it here. I genuinely do," Barzal said. "I think that anyone who plays here knows that it's one of the top places to play in the League. From the practice rink, UBS [Arena], the boys in the room, (general manager) Lou [Lamoriello] being here, a fresh coaching staff, the city itself, 30 minutes from New York City. The lifestyle is elite. I've loved it here literally every minute. There's no other place I'd rather be."
Barzal said he never really entertained the idea of playing elsewhere.
"I just love it here and never had any talks with anyone about going anywhere else, doing anything else, playing this year out," he said. "It was about wanting to get signed, wanting to commit to the boys and this organization. Just the commitment to this organization and the guys in this room. I'm so happy I get to spend eight years with a lot of these guys."