Barron has all the physical tools and he has some problem solving skills to go with his high offensive instincts. His skating is smooth and fluid, he covers a lot of ice very quickly. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native has earned praise from some of his fellow Nova Scotians NHL players.
The likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand are all too familiar with the talent that Barron has. So his struggles this season are tough to watch. You know full well that for some of the NHL's best to endorse him, there is a little more to the player than we have seen.
Letang tells Lavoie about Sidney Crosby's thoughts on the trade that brought Justin Barron to Montreal.
Crosby thinks Avs made a big mistake and that Barron is going to be a great player. Letang said it's rare that Sid says things like this. pic.twitter.com/2KNjnM5nm3
I believe that Barron has the tools and skills to be a staple in the Canadiens, suddenly crowded right defence room. But until his mind matches his body, he will continue to struggle; it appears that the pace is too quick for him. While Laval has struggled, you can look no further than Arber Xhekaj and Logan Mailloux, as examples of how going down to Laval can be a benefit.
I love what Barron brings to the team, but on the same token, I am aware that he is struggling and I think he needs to catch his breath. Laval shouldn't be treated as a cakewalk; as such, Barron knows that the level of competition is still very high. With an increase in minutes, Barron will benefit from the additional reps, which will allow him to work on his decision making.
He appears to overthink on plays, often coughing up simple zone exits or getting beat to a 50/50 puck, failing to battle for it. The skating that Barron is known for, seems to disappear when trying to defend - he falls a lot and his strides are more choppy and almost nervous. It seems that he is scared to make a mistake, so he rushes decisions and ends up making one.
Playing in Laval will mean he plays more minutes, perhaps even on the penalty kill, which will push him to work on his gaps and defensive zone reads. Xhekaj and Mailloux have been down in Laval, and neither one of them looks unhappy about it. The goal for all three of the young defenders is to play in the NHL, but taking the right path to reach that goal is essential
Barron Down, Who Comes Up?
Montreal Canadiens v Philadelphia Flyers / Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages
I was an advocate for the idea, and still to some extent, I believe that Xhekaj should be in the next Uber to Montreal. But I can't sit here and pretend that he isn't thriving with the Rocket. The same can also be said about his defence Partner Mailloux, who has been equally as good as Xhekaj.
So that makes the decision quite difficult - but Johnathan Kovacevic can slot in, then Barron can go down. As for a call-up, I think Emil Heineman makes sense, considering that the blueline is pretty packed without Barron in the mix. The Habs have Mike Matheson-Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble-David Savard and Jordan Harris-Kovacevic, all healthy without Barron.
Heineman, to me, is a part of the Canadiens' plans, so having him in the lineup over Joel Armia or Michael Pezzetta makes a lot of sense to me. With Roy showing what he can do, adding Heineman into the mix, with Ylonen already in the lineup would be a great look at the future of the team.
I do think that having a seventh defensemen available makes a lot of sense, but aside from Xhekaj and Mailloux, I don't see that any other Rocket defender would be a fit. Not right now anyways, and the tough gig is sitting in the press box, which doesn't benefit the player at all.
It will be tough for Heineman to play any higher than the fourth line, but I think he should be in over Armia at least. Pezzetta brings some grit and tenacity to the team, so I feel he can stay for now. Heineman could play on the second powerplay, and maybe even develop some chemistry with Joshua Roy.
It is tough to assess what Marty and the Habs management want to do going forward. But having the youth up with the big club, allowing them to audition what they can do could pay off big. Perhaps one of Roy or Heineman go off, and next year they have their stint in their back pocket to build off.
