Ash Glover
In selecting Justin Barron at 25th overall, the Avalanche added another blue-chip defensive prospect to the organization. It wasn’t all that long ago (before a blood clot slowed his progress and development last season), Barron was potentially talked about as one of the top two or three defensemen who would be drafted on day one. Barron blends great size, skating ability and two-way acumen; something that Joe has targeted and made a priority. Barron is also a natural leader and workhorse, we’re talking 25 minutes a night playing all situations here. He may not have the highest offensive upside as other prospects at his position, but he does fit with what Joe Sakic wants to do with his blue line.
Who is Justin Barron?
And what does he bring to the Colorado Avalanche?
Transition Skater, Tempo Maker
The most noticeable and perhaps most attractive skill-set that Barron brings to the prospect pool is the ability to transition the puck out of his own zone and create scoring chances. For a guy who stands 6′ 3″ and weighs nearly 200 pounds, Barron can really skate. He’s got good first step acceleration, a strong balanced stride and subtle but good edge work. Mix this with his ability to shield the puck and body his way through holes, Barron is a freight train moving downhill.
Not only is it the skills that allow him to be a prolific transition defenseman, his vision and timing when cutting through the neutral zone is fantastic. Bar Jake Sanderson and Jamie Drysdale, there isn’t anyone else who can time his rushes as well nor find the space in which to do so quite like Barron. He’s confident in his ability and simply doesn’t second guess his movements.
Barron is purposeful and smart in transition and when given room, can cut violently to the net front for a scoring chance. Below are just some examples of his transitional game.
Defensive Ability and Acumen.
In terms of defensive effort, Barron can shut down his side of the ice and control the flow of the game. He bodies his opponents away from the puck with his strong frame and displays good stick discipline. Reducing high danger shots and limiting both the quality and frequency of offensive zone entries are key to having a sound defense, Barron’s skill set defensively forces forwards to the walls and away from the middle of the ice, thus retarding those effective entries.
He also moves very well laterally and has sound control over his gaps, he is rarely out of position. Baron isn’t afraid to give his man a cushion in order to jump his gap to make a hit. Often he does so to create puck separation to then generate offensive opportunities either for himself or others. This aggressive mindset is also present in his penalty killing. When a man down, Barron places emphasis on rushing attackers and forcing them into errors.
His wingspan and skating ability make him hard to navigate around, and he knows that. He will press and challenge forwards on the penalty kill regularly to challenge them and ultimately create turnovers. This aspect is something in which I think the Avalanche lack. A defender with both the skill and determination to pose a threat whilst short-handed. Someone who just won’t sit back, rather attempt to attack and challenge.
Remember, this is a guy who is 6’2″ and 200 pounds, not 5’9″ and 160 pounds ringing wet. Players of this size don’t usually skate this well. Even on the odd occasions when he is out of position, he usually has the pace and awareness to recover and make a positive play.
The Shooting Ability
His shot is also very undervalued. He has an uncanny ability to generate power from very little action in his shooting motion. I contribute this to great hand extension, balance and pure strength. Barron can also one-time pucks that usually would require at minimum one touch to control, gather and shoot. At times (especially from the point) his shot isn’t always accurate or consistently heavy, but it’s somewhat by design. He isn’t afraid to filter pucks into traffic and does so in a blink of an eye.
There is no wasted time on the puck if he sees fit to fire the puck on net in hope of either a rebound or deflection. There is no hero mentality of trying to circle the wagons and force shots that are of low percentage. Barron uses his quick point shot and recognition to make the best team play possible.
When on the rush, he does possess a sometimes nasty wrister that can catch opposing goalies off guard. It still needs some work in terms of elevation and accuracy consistency, but the groundwork is there.
Final Thoughts
Justin Barron was a great selection for the Avalanche. Joe drafted a solid, smart mobile defenseman with great two-way ability. He’s safe on the puck and doesn’t make dumb mistakes. Calculated and very much confident in his ability, Barron holds the keys to what will unlock a fruitful NHL career.
Don’t listen to the fodder about “He doesn’t have first paring scoring upside”, he doesn’t need to have that. You have Makar after all. Barron should be able to flourish without having those expectations, Colorado gives him that chance. He won’t be asked to produce 60 points nor lodge massive minutes due to a lack of team depth on defense. With the Avalanche, he can play a much more effective role on a team dripping with talent on the back end.
The lack of Barron’s “potent scoring ability” (that turned some teams off) just implicates how many of those teams lack real defensive depth. In Colorado, he need not be a portent scorer like some teams would require him to be in order to warrant a first-round pick. He gets the benefit of playing on what is shaping up to be an incredibly deep defense. Something that can only be beneficial to exploit his strengths.