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It’s not going well for Justin Barron in Nashville.

 Jonathan Di Gregorio
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It’s not going well for Justin Barron in Nashville.
Credit: Justin Barron’s debut with the Nashville Predators has been far from spectacular. In three games so far, the defender has no points and a -3 record, but more importantly, he has already been a healthy scratch for three games since joining the team. Although Barron was traded on December 18, he only participated in his […]

Justin Barron’s debut with the Nashville Predators has been far from spectacular.

In three games so far, the defender has no points and a -3 record, but more importantly, he has already been a healthy scratch for three games since joining the team.

Although Barron was traded on December 18, he only participated in his first game on December 23 against the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s understandable that the team possibly wanted to give him time to acclimate to the playing system and his new environment.

His second game was particularly difficult, ending with a -3 rating in just 6 minutes and 58 seconds of play. As a result, Barron watched the next game from the press box.

His latest game went better with a +0 differential and 17 minutes and 31 seconds of play in a 5-3 loss for the Preds, marking their third consecutive defeat.

While it’s early, there are questions about Nashville’s plans for the young defenseman. By trading for Alexandre Carrier, the team clearly sacrificed the present for the future and saw something in Barron.

However, it’s not by relegating their hope to the stands that the Predators will build Barron’s confidence and allow him to reach his full potential.

And it’s not as if the team is fighting for a playoff spot. Nashville currently sits in 30th place in the league with 29 points in 38 games (11-20-7) this season. I believe the club can live with the mistakes of its young players and let them learn.

And while Barron finds his footing in Nashville, Carrier is making Kent Hughes look really good so far in this trade.

Carrier has helped stabilize the defense corps by placing all our defenders in the right spots. In six games with the Canadiens, the defender has four points and a +2 differential.

Let’s also remind ourselves that the team has only lost one game since he arrived.

All this for a player who was no longer part of the Canadiens’ plans. We can clearly say that in the short term, the Canadiens have really won this trade.

We can also ask whether Barron will eventually manage to establish himself as a regular defenseman in the NHL. When the Canadiens acquired him for Artturi Lehkonen in 2024, the young defenseman seemed promising, but unfortunately, he never lived up to the hopes the organization had for him. Ultimately, the emergence of several of our young defenders like Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle cost him his spot with the Canadiens.

So let’s hope that 2025 offers him more consistency with his new team.


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