Avalanche draft Justin Barron with 25th pick
The Colorado Avalanche selected blue-liner Justin Barron with the No. 25 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Justin Barron
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 198 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Nationality: Canadian
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 4 | 15 | 19 |
(Stats source: EliteProspects.com)
Barron's stock was likely affected by health concerns. He was deemed out indefinitely on Sept. 25 following a medical procedure and missed the Mooseheads' season opener on Oct. 3.
During the 2019-20 campaign, the blue-liner missed nearly three months due to a blood clot, but returned in late February and continued to suit up for Halifax until the season was scrapped amid the pandemic in March.
It was his third campaign with the Mooseheads. He posted nine goals and 41 points in 68 games with the club in 2018-19 - adding another 13 points in 23 playoff contests - after collecting 21 points in 51 regular-season games in 2017-18.
Barron also has some international experience, helping Canada win gold at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with five points in five contests. NHL Central Scouting pegged him as the 16th-best North American skater in its final rankings
What they're saying
"Barron is a fantastic skater who can lead a rush and close a gap very well, and he projects to be able to handle the NHL speed easily," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in his evaluation of the top draft prospects. "When he hooks the net and is able to rush with speed, he’s very difficult to stop with his size. The question on his game among scouts is whether he has enough skill and offensive IQ to move the puck at the higher levels."
"As one of the top skaters and mobile defenders in this draft class, he’s destined to play top-four minutes for a number of years," Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino wrote in June.