Prospect Info: Justin Barron

[Deebs]

Personally, I'd prefer

Matheson- Petry (ask Petry to play a more safe, reserved game)
Guhle- Barron (great balance IMO)
Xhekaj- Savard (Bigger, bruising pair)

Harris- Kovacevic (Can rotate in on the bottom pair, Harris needs to play some games)

The only thing I worry about is the lack of experience on the 2nd pairing but, we're not competing for a cup or anything, so maybe just throwing them into the fire will be a good thing to start the season off.

 

[malcb33]

The only thing I worry about is the lack of experience on the 2nd pairing but, we're not competing for a cup or anything, so maybe just throwing them into the fire will be a good thing to start the season off.

I agree, but IMO at this point Ghule has proven he can handle the minutes, and I'd rather see Barron learn than watch Savard drag his partner down when he plays too high up in the line-up and can't handle the minutes.

Unfortunately, right now on the RH side, after Petry (who's not guaranteed to start) it's Savard, Barron or Kovy, so you have to pick your poison. I'd rather see Barron learn and grow into the role, as we know what we have in Savard and Kovy isn't likely in the long-term plans. Plus, I think Barron compliments Ghule's play the best as well.

 

[Sorinth]

Pretty soft D without Xhekaj.

Xhekaj is there if he beats out the others to earn a top-6 spot and it's far from being soft. Plenty of teams us included have done fine with much softer D groups, so for a likely transition year the softness is the least of our concerns.

 

[schwang26]

Xhekaj is there if he beats out the others to earn a top-6 spot and it's far from being soft. Plenty of teams us included have done fine with much softer D groups, so for a likely transition year the softness is the least of our concerns.

You need to have a balance. You can't have all Lane Hutsons or all Xhekajs. I shouldn't have said "soft" but definitely ""softer". Without him, none of the other guys are that physical.

 

[Sorinth]

You need to have a balance. You can't have all Lane Hutsons or all Xhekajs. I shouldn't have said "soft" but definitely ""softer". Without him, none of the other guys are that physical.

To an extent sure but not only should the team not be focused on toughness right now, Xhexaj should also be less focused on going out and being a tough guy because he does have a sneaky amount of skill and if he can continue to develop that side of his game then the skys the limit for him.

But the D without Xhekaj is actually fairly balanced, Guhle, Savard and Kovacevik bring a consistent physical element, Matheson and Petry are big guys who will quite often win battles using their size and also occasionally lay people out. It's really only Harris and Barron that would be on the soft side of things. So if talking balance we are actually in a fine position on the D side.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

To an extent sure but not only should the team not be focused on toughness right now, Xhexaj should also be less focused on going out and being a tough guy because he does have a sneaky amount of skill and if he can continue to develop that side of his game then the skys the limit for him.

But the D without Xhekaj is actually fairly balanced, Guhle, Savard and Kovacevik bring a consistent physical element, Matheson and Petry are big guys who will quite often win battles using their size and also occasionally lay people out. It's really only Harris and Barron that would be on the soft side of things. So if talking balance we are actually in a fine position on the D side.

I agree. Xhekaj certainly adds a lot of toughness to our blueline, but his longevity in the NHL will depend on him being able to pick his spots better and avoid the penalty box more regularly.

 

[Tyson]

I agree. Xhekaj certainly adds a lot of toughness to our blueline, but his longevity in the NHL will depend on him being able to pick his spots better and avoid the penalty box more regularly.

There will come a time where he will be avoided by other tough guys. He is a good hockey player who can fight. He is making it on his skillset.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

You need to have a balance. You can't have all Lane Hutsons or all Xhekajs. I shouldn't have said "soft" but definitely ""softer". Without him, none of the other guys are that physical.

I would definitely say Guhle is no walk in the park

 

[Sam de Mtl]

There will come a time where he will be avoided by other tough guys. He is a good hockey player who can fight. He is making it on his skillset.

Go back and watch the penalties he took this year. Lots of slewfoots and instinctive bad reactions when pressured.

It is not the fighting that is worrisome.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Xhekaj is there if he beats out the others to earn a top-6 spot and it's far from being soft. Plenty of teams us included have done fine with much softer D groups, so for a likely transition year the softness is the least of our concerns.

He is the only tough guy on the team. Gorton was fired for not having protectors on the Rangers. Xhekaj should be on the defense until there are some tough guy forwards. Can't have any more Kassian incidents. And Petry, who was probably not 100%, is not the player who should have retaliated.

 

[Mrb1p]

I would definitely say Guhle is no walk in the park

And neither is Mailloux or Reinbacher.

 

[Sorinth]

He is the only tough guy on the team. Gorton was fired for not having protectors on the Rangers. Xhekaj should be on the defense until there are some tough guy forwards. Can't have any more Kassian incidents. And Petry, who was probably not 100%, is not the player who should have retaliated.

Chara, Lucic and all their other goons didn't stop the Marc Savard incident either. Tough guys don't stop the other team from taking runs at your players.

 

[Scriptor]

And neither is Mailloux or Reinbacher.

On an eventual D that follows (and, no, nothing is guaranteed that they will all make it or come close to their projected ceilings, if they do):

Matheson - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux
Hutson - Xhekaj

- OR, a bit later -

Guhle - Reinbacher (Great shutdown 1stpairing with offensive upside and size/grit)
Engstrom - Mailloux (Engstrom as defensive insulation for Mailloux - size and grit)
Hutson - Xhekaj (Xhekaj as size and grit complement to protect Hutson)

There is no lack grit and size on the back end. It also comes combined with skill. Even if Mailloux or Engstrom doesn't pan out, for example, I'm not too concerned either. There will at least be one physical D per pairing, and the others, without being physical -- outside of Hutson -- will still be Ds with some size.

Harris, IMO, will get traded somewhere along the line.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

And neither is Mailloux or Reinbacher.

Between those four we can afford a couple smaller guys. I really like our D corps. And I honestly think we are a couple pieces away from something special up front. This rebuild will accelerate in the next twelve months

 

[Scriptor]

Between those four we can afford a couple smaller guys. I really like our D corps. And I honestly think we are a couple pieces away from something special up front. This rebuild will accelerate in the next twelve months

Have to agree. Once Montreal is only a couple of pieces away from contending, if Hughes continues to harvest Cap space as he gets rid of bad contracts, he will be able to weaponize the Cap space to add such players, and not necessarily only via the UFA market where players tend to get overpaid for too long, but by using the Cap advantage in trades.

 

[Tyson]

Go back and watch the penalties he took this year. Lots of slewfoots and instinctive bad reactions when pressured.

It is not the fighting that is worrisome.

Management seem to like him. He is still learning.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

Management seem to like him. He is still learning.

So do I. Why does it have to be black or white?

I like him and yet see things he needs to improve on. It is not incompatible.

 

[Steve Shutt]

So Barron will need to beat out non waiver exempt RD guys like Kovacevic, Lindstrom, and Wiseman if he wants to crack the opening night roster. Savard should be a lock. Also smaller threats that Mailloux or Reinbacher prove ready for the NHL but I doubt that's the plan.

LD looks set with Matheson, Guhle, Harris, and Xhekaj. Struble, Norlinder, and Beaudin will all most likely be back in Laval.

Guessing the team won't carry more than 7 dmen so looks like Barron will be better served by big minutes in Laval to start the year. I'd give him 25 games with the Rocket and all the minutes he can handle. At that point we likely need to make room for him to continue his development in Montreal.