Montreal Canadiens: Three Players That Need Strong Showing In Remainder of Preseason

Justin Barron

Justin Barron has a bit of an inside track on an opening night job simply because he is a right shot defender. The Canadiens are pretty short on those, and really don’t have any beyond David Savard and Chris Wideman.

But that doesn’t mean Barron is guaranteed a spot in the lineup next week. Someone like Jordan Harris or Corey Schueneman can easily slide across and play on the right side if no one else appears to be ready for the role.

Barron has had his ups and downs during training camp, but his skating, shot and willingness to jump up into the play have really stood out as strengths. He is the kind of skilled player that just might thrive in the NHL environment under head coach Martin St. Louis.

Of course, at just 20 years old, there is no rush to get him there. He has had a few defensive blips and misreads with the puck during training camp as well, and it may be best if he starts the season with the Laval Rocket.

It will really depend on how he plays in the coming week. A couple of more games where he really shows off skill, speed and smarts in the offensive zone and St. Louis will want him on the roster to begin the season. A bad turnover or two might be just enough to convince management he is better off in the AHL for now.