It took some time for newly appointed Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes to trade Artturi Lehkonen and it wasn’t for lack of suitors. It was because the Habs knew what they had in their hands in the homegrown Finn. After all, he had been a second-round pick at the 2013 draft (55th overall) and had developed into a responsible two-way player.
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Hughes’ plan was simple, to use Lehkonen who was on an expiring deal and would be past his peak when the Canadiens would be ready to contend to get a mobile right-shot defenseman, something Montreal had been lacking for what seemed like forever.
There was a lot of back and forth with the Colorado Avalanche before Joe Sakic finally relented and agreed to send Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick to Montreal for Lehkonen.
The Result of the Trade in Colorado…
Fast forward three years and the forward has got a Stanley Cup ring, a new contract and is an important part of the Avs’ attack. In his first full season in Denver, he racked up a personal best 51 points in just 64 games, 0.79 points per game, a far cry from his 0.37 average over six seasons in Montreal. This past season, he only featured in 45 games but still gathered 34 points for a 0.75 PPG average.
He has struggled to stay healthy but still he has competed in 125 games in Colorado while Barron has only played 92 games in Montreal and it wasn’t because of health issues. Well, actually, the other defensemen’s health issues allowed him to play more games in the NHL.
The Result of the Trade in Montreal…
Barron’s a good skater and he has an offensive upside but he always looks tentative on the ice. One would have hoped being name to the Team Canada roster at the 2023 World Championship would have given him an infusion of confidence, but it doesn’t seem to have. He patrolled the Canadian blueline for 10 games and came back home with a gold medal around his neck, but he still started the season in Laval.
He was called up a bit later in October and ended up playing 48 games with the Canadiens throughout the season, but he couldn’t establish himself as a regular. Over the course of those 48 matches, the right-shot blueliner scored six goals and picked up seven assists. In a contract year, that was hardly spectacular and he became an RFA with next to no negotiating power.
Given how the last three seasons played out, it was hardly surprising to see Kent Hughes sign him to a short term contract. When the Canadiens’ acquired him, they must have believed that he was going to be a key cog on the Habs blueline, but so far not only has he not showed he deserves a permanent seat at the table, but looking at the contracts Hughes handed out this Summer, undrafted gritty defenseman Arber Xhekaj is higher up on the salary scale. Furthermore, the way I see it, the Sheriff is much closer to booking a permanent spot in the defense corps.
About this season
Barron has his work cut out for him if he wants to reverse the trend and avoid being overtaken in the hierarchy by David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux who are both right-shot defensemen knocking on the Canadiens’ door. As for the smooth skating and puck-moving aspect of his game, Lane Hutson is coming in fast and has showed a lot in two games. If the youngster keeps going that way, Barron could soon become a trade token.
Related: Canadiens: About the Barron Deal…
So what can we expect from Barron this season? Well, an entire season in the NHL for a start, but mainly because he would have to clear waivers to go down to the AHL. He also needs to believe in himself more, he has no choice but to do it if he wants the Habs brass to believe in him, something that hasn’t been achieved yet.
Make no mistake, Barron knows where he is on the salary scale and he has seen Kaiden Guhle be anointed as part of the young core. To get there though, Barron will need to work twice as hard and deliver results. Even then, I’m not ready to say the GM will keep him. With such a low salary, the defenseman could become a moveable assets to fill other needs in the lineup (not on his own but as part of a larger package).
It’s crunch time for Barron, it’s time to show Hughes didn’t get taken for a ride in that trade with Colorado. Even if Lehkonen is working out much better than he is, the deal isn’t lost yet. The second-round pick the GM got in the trade has been used to acquire the 21st overall selection at the last draft: Michael Hage. Let’s just say Hughes ensured that the jury would be out on the deal for a while longer.
Related
The Canadiens’ Next Crop of Defensemen Is Here
Canadiens: David Reinbacher is Shooting For an Opening Day Roster Spot
Canadiens’ Kent Hughes Has Winning Contract Strategy…So Far
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