Justin Barron

Justin Barron (born November 15, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 25th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2020 NHL entry draft. Barron has also previously played for the Montreal Canadiens.

Playing career

Junior

Following three seasons of major junior hockey for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Barron was selected in the first round, 25th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2020 NHL entry draft.

Ahead of the 2020–21 season, Barron was named captain of the Mooseheads franchise. During the pandemic-interrupted campaign, he recorded 31 points in 33 games played. On April 27, 2021, the Avalanche signed Barron to a three-year, entry-level contract. He concurrently signed an amateur tryout (ATO) agreement with the Avalanche's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, and joined the team for the remainder of the 2020–21 AHL season.

Professional

Colorado Avalanche

Barron made his NHL debut with the Avalanche in the 2021–22 season, appearing in a December 15, 2021 game against the New York Rangers. Collectively, he appeared in 50 games with the Eagles, registering six goals and eighteen assists, along with two scoreless games with the Avalanche.

Montreal Canadiens

On March 21, 2022, Barron was traded by the Avalanche, along with a 2024 second-round draft pick, to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Artturi Lehkonen. He initially attracted good publicity upon his arrival in Montreal, specifically by demonstrating proficiency in French as a result of having taken immersion classes during his schooling in Nova Scotia. Barron made his debut with the team in a March 27 game against the New Jersey Devils, amassing 17:55 of total ice time. He registered his first career NHL point, an assist, in a March 29 game against the Florida Panthers. Thereafter, Barron scored his first career NHL goal in an April 5 game against the Ottawa Senators, his first home game at the Bell Centre. He suffered an ankle injury in the same game and exited early. Seven days later, the team announced that he would miss the remainder of the season and would be unable to join the Laval Rocket, the franchise's AHL affiliate, for the Calder Cup playoffs.

After recovering from injury, it was widely assumed that Barron would make the Canadiens' roster for the 2022–23 season out of training camp. However, after an underwhelming performance in the preseason, he was instead assigned to Laval. He admitted that this was initially difficult to process, but after some struggles in his early games with the Rocket, he set about "to play well enough to hopefully be that first call-up, and at some point, get back up there." He was soon credited as the team's strongest defenceman. On December 27, he was recalled by the Canadiens, having managed 7 goals and 9 assists in 25 AHL games. Barron played the remainder of the season in the NHL, drawing generally positive assessments. After the Canadiens failed to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Barron was one of four players reassigned to Laval to end the season.

A restricted free agent following the 2023–24 season, Barron was tendered a qualifying offer by the Canadiens on June 30, 2024. On July 30, he signed a two-year, $2.3 million contract extension.

Early on into the 2024–25 season, Barron skated in his 100th career NHL game, a 4–3 shootout loss versus the New York Islanders on October 19.

Nashville Predators

On December 18, 2024, Barron was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for fellow defenceman Alexandre Carrier.

International play

Internationally, Barron first represented Hockey Canada as part of team Canada Red at the 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, earning a silver medal. He then captured gold along with his country's national under-18 team at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

In December 2020, Barron was selected to play for the national junior team at the annual World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he had two assists in seven games as Canada was defeated by the United States in the gold medal game.

Following the Montreal Canadiens not qualifying for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, Barron accepted an invitation to join the national senior team at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, winning a gold medal.

Personal life

Barron's older brother, Morgan, is a professional ice hockey player for the Winnipeg Jets.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barron, Justin
2001 births
Living people
Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Colorado Avalanche draft picks
Colorado Avalanche players
Colorado Eagles players
Halifax Mooseheads players
Laval Rocket players
Montreal Canadiens players
Nashville Predators players
NHL first-round draft picks
Ice hockey people from Halifax, Nova Scotia
21st-century Canadian sportsmen