We’ve seen some great things from Justin Barron since his arrival in Montreal.
On the other hand… We’ve also seen some not-so-great things from him, because he hasn’t yet found a way to be consistent on the ice.
That could come with time, because he’s still young, but time is also starting to run out for him in a way.
Barron will need to have a good camp to impress management and earn his place in Martin St-Louis’ line-up.
It’s not going to be an easy task, as there will be several defenders fighting for a spot in the camp… But there’s one thing that could work in his favour.
If Barron isn’t able to carve out a spot (even among the extras), the Habs will have to send him back to the AHL… And the defenseman will have to go through the waivers first.
Because of this, Grant McCagg(Sick Podcast) believes Barron will start the season in Montreal, even if it’s as the 7th defenseman:
Is this Justin Barron’s last chance to prove himself?@grantmccagg joins @TonyMarinaro to discuss the promising young defenseman signing a 2-year contract to stay in Montreal
Full pod👇
Watch: https://t.co/gFXe4jwCVO
Listen: https://t.co/NOWdm55fE9#GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast pic.twitter.com/D3EF4UqJ0W— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) August 1, 2024
If Justin Barron ends up in the waivers, the chances of him being claimed by another team are huge.
And rightly so.
The defenseman is only 22 years old, was drafted in the 1st round (2020) and has demonstrated some offensive potential, as he boasts 30 points in 94 games in the National League.
But to become an effective defenseman in the National League, Barron will have to start working on his weaknesses.
I’m thinking here of his decision-making, which isn’t always superb… And I’m also thinking of his reliability on defense.
The time is right for Justin Barron to blossom. He shuttled back and forth between the NHL and the AHL last season, and let’s hope he got the message.
Because if he hasn’t… things could get complicated pretty quickly for the main interested party.
