Avalanche top-prospect Justin Barron skated with elite summer group in Halifax, Nova Scotia – The Denver Post
Avalanche rookie defenseman Justin Barron had an interesting summer in Eastern Canada, skating almost daily with three esteemed forwards from his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Boston’s Brad Marchand are shoo-ins for Canada’s 2022 Olympic team, and Barron — who will play in his third preseason game Tuesday night — said trying to defend them during the summer skates was eye-opening.
“You got three of the best players in the world, so it was great for me getting to defend those guys in practice every day,” Barron said during Tuesday’s morning skate at Ball Arena. “It was probably the best thing I could have done.”
Barron, who played in Monday’s 3-1 loss at Minnesota, will be MacKinnon’s teammate Tuesday night as the star center makes his preseason debut along with fellow top-six forwards Mikko Rantanen and Andre Burakovsky. The Avs and Knights both submitted more veteran lineups as next week’s openers approach.
Barron, 19, might not make the opening-night roster because of guaranteed contracts and his youth, but Avs coach Jared Bednar has showered the 2020 first-round draft pick with praise and opportunity throughout training camp.
“I’m fortunate to have been given all the opportunity, playing power play, playing penalty kill, getting lots of ice,” Barron said. “I think it’s just a matter of continuing to get better each game and continuing to show the coaching staff what I can do. I think I’ve done a pretty good job at kind of building my game throughout camp.”
Barron is considered a key piece of the future for the Avs, and he may make his NHL debut this season. But he’ll likely begin on the first pairing with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles and play in all situations.
The Avs have a deep-and-talented blue line, although Devon Toews is recovering from shoulder surgery and is not expected to be cleared by the opener. Cale Makar is also practicing in a red non-contact sweater and has yet to play in the preseason, but Bednar previously said that’s for precautionary reasons.
Makar is expected to play next week with Sam Girard on the first pairing. Rookie Bo Byram and Erik Johnson have been practicing together and newcomers Ryan Murray and Kurtis MacDermid will make the team. Jack Johnson, a 950-game NHL veteran who will play in his third preseason game Tuesday, could make the team off a professional tryout contract to add depth.
Barron doesn’t pay attention to the depth chart. He focuses on his preparation and how he performs every day he’s with the Avs.
“I’m starting to belong here,” Barron said. “I came to camp, my goal was to get a spot on the roster. That’s still my goal now. Just trying to take it day by day and not look too far forward and just try to play well every day.”
Footnote. The Avs reassigned four players to the Eagles on Tuesday morning, reducing the roster to 38. Forwards Jean-Luc Foudy and Gabriel Fontaine, defenseman Andreas Englund and goalie Justus Annunen will report to team headquarters in Loveland.
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