It's a fair point, but you have a few good young forwards like Barlow coming up, so... maybe? The average age of the jets seems to be like 29-30, so I would expect they can more easily attract some free agents for the bottom 5. Top 7 forwards seems pretty set.

I'm not obsessed. I just think we need some forwards with top 6 potential more than we need defenders, and if I'm honest I want them to call Mailloux up, more than I want Barron to get another shot.

Levshunov & Parekh look pretty good and at least one should be available... just saying.

I don't understand MTL's usage of Barron. Actually I don't understand their usage of their entire D-core really. I've been watching some questionable defensive efforts for some time now, so I wanted to dig into the numbers using natural stat trick and see what could be learned.

MTL D pairings GF% + xGF% @ 5v5 (>150 min)
1. Guhle - Kovacevic, 58.82 + 54.69 = 113.51%
2. Struble - Kovacevic, 60 + 49.66 = 109.66%
3. Xhekaj - *** , 55.56 + 48.59 = 104.59
4. Matheson - Barron, 58.33 + 43.75 = 102.08%
5. Guhle - Barron, 50 + 48.92 = 98.92%
6. Harris - *** , 47.22 + 50.23 = 97.45
7. Matheson - Savard, 50 + 47.32 = 97.32%
8. Matheson - Guhle*, 50 + 44.18 = 94.18%

*Playing on off side.
***Individual numbers, hasn't played >150 min on one pair.

Of course this doesn't take into consideration things like matchups, usage, etc. however MTL in general is a negative goal differential team so I consider > 100% to be good no matter what your role is. That said, I have a few observations.

1. Guhle - Kovacevic / Struble - Kovacevic / Xhekaj - Kovacevic have been MTL's best defensive pairs. Kovacevic is very underrated by fans and management.

2. What is St. Louis' beef with Xhekaj this year? He barely gets used but he's done just fine other than some bad penalties (which other vets have been more guilty of).

3. Matheson's best D partner is Barron, who isn't even playing in the NHL. Guhle - Barron also put up respectable results and is the most common pairing this season so they did this in the largest sample size. Why is Barron in Laval? What is management's plan for him exactly? Mailloux and Reinbacher are coming shouldn't we be getting a really good look at him in the NHL?

4. Savard puts up some decent results with Matheson (no better than Barron) playing some tough matchups no doubt, however he is abysmal with anyone else on the team. I'd be trading him if he holds any value.

5. Matheson - Guhle is not it, why are we forcing Guhle to play on his offside when there are RHD options that work just fine?

Anyways all this to say based on these results, my healthy lineup without any trades next year would be:

Guhle - Barron
Matheson - Savard
Xhekaj - Kovacevic
Harris

Struble - Mailloux
Hutson - Reinbacher
Trudeau - Tourigny
Norlinder

If I'm giving MSL the benefit of the doubt, I see the deployment as a form of stress test. Increase usage and responsibility slowly until a player breaks, then address what was revealed during that time.
If I'm looking at it in a less positive light, MSL (and staff) have a propensity to make decisions based on visible errors, in some kind of a "3 strikes and you're out" methodology.

Barron saw increased usage this year and actually had a long leash. He was showing improvement. Miscues did pile up (as should be expected), but was he pulled to address them or punish them?
Same with Xhekaj, only he seemed to have a shorter leash, but that may simply be because there were less expectations for him beyond controlling his aggression.

Kovacevic is indeed underrated. With only 125 games of experience and improved performance despite less favorable deployment, I'd like to see him rewarded with more playing time. I feel like he's being dismissed too easily as a potential mainstay after Savard's departure.
It's a numbers game with his age and our depth coming up, but he deserves more opportunity.

Struble is in a similar position. He's excelling but the numbers don't necessarily support it. He's passing the eye test with flying colors though. The St Louis game might have been his first real noticeable blunder of the season, and he'll learn from that.

Harris on the other hand has slipped this year. Injuries have been a factor but he's getting less usage and better deployment and still producing worse results.

We need to clear room on our blue line to give these players more time to develop. Savard out. One of Struble, Harris, Xhekaj out. More minutes and less rotation for everyone else.

They may look good but also may not pan out. Barron may find another gear, he may not. I agree with adding top 6 talent, 100%. I don't like moving RHD now that we finally have a few options, LHD is another story since there's a massive logjam currently.

Imo, throw our '24 1sts at ANA for Zegras (I know this seems to be controversial) for a top 6 offensive addition. Keep our prospects for us and start using them over the next couple years to fill out the roster.

Zegras, Dach, CC, Suzuki, Newhook, Slaf Top 6 looks good when healthy.

Heineman, Beck, Roy, Mesar, Farrell, (Tuch, Kapanen, Kidney, etc) combination for energetic 3rd line

Evans, Pezz, (insert name here), etc defensive/grit 4th line

Hutson - Reinbacher
Guhle - Barron
Xhekaj - Mailloux
Struble
(Or another of our LHD)

Monty
Prime/Fowler/Etc

This is how I'd be aiming to set things up.

Whatever gets us back to the post-season in a way we can sustain success.

Like I said in another exchange, I am not opposed to keeping him, I am just trying to balance the fact that:

1) I see the Habs calling up Mailloux over Barron if Guhle is out
2) I see Reinbacher coming over after the TDL
3) I see the Habs seriously considering drafting a D at the draft if that's the BPA, and trading one of your prospect defenders for a forward like Bourque, makes that more palatable

Be honest. Would you call up Mailloux or Barron if Guhle is out?

Agreed. In a roundabout way I guess I want to move our 1sts this year to add to the top 6 instead of moving out any current promising prospects.

We're a Zegras & a healthy lineup away from being a sustainable playoff team imo.

draft Levshunov, then trade Barron and Harris and late 1st to get young promising forwards?

Exactly 💯

Loving the discussion team!

While I would not argue with either of your analysis, as I agree with it, I will try to add some context to my decision to make Barron the odd man out.

1) First off - Me offering Barron in a trade, does not insinuate that I don't like him. I really like him a lot. When you want to acquire a player of value, you always have to give up something valuable in return.

2) Between Reinbacher, Mailloux, Kovacevic, Harris on his offside, a prospective top 10 pick this year at D, and Barron, I feel we would have too many RHD prospects.

3) We are very weak on forward prospects who can make an offensive impact as soon as next year, and that is why I am trying to swap a defenseman for a forward.

4) If we were to draft a forward this year in the top 10, I would STILL prefer we trade a defender for a forward, because we need immediate relief. I do not want to live through another lost season. I hate the idea of 5 years and no playoffs.

so who would you target for Harris and Winnipeg 1st?

We have 4 1st round picks and 3 2nds in the next 2 years.
When we need that top 6 forward, we're prepared to get one. It's a matter of finding the right one that becomes available or going after a free agent for now.

A 1st and lesser prospect will get us in the door for negotiations when a trade opportunity is available.
Barron as part of a trade for an established forward might be something to consider, but if we're swapping for an unproven prospect, we should wait and try our own unproven guys first (or draft someone better).

We want to make the playoffs next year, but that's going to be more about our health and development impact than what we might add in a trade.

Be honest. Would you call up Mailloux or Barron if Guhle is out?

I'd go with Mailloux, simply because of the chemistry he showed with Xhekaj and to give him a taste of NHL action while allowing Barron to be 'the guy' in Laval for a few games.

Matheson - Savard
Struble - Kovacevic
Xhekaj - Mailloux

On the topic of trading Barron + Late 1st for a forward vs our top 10 pick for a forward, I think MTL needs the highest quality they can get.

Slaf, Suzuki, Caufield, and Dach are essentially locks for the top 6. I don't want another Newhook or a Bourque to add to our Roy, Mesar, Farrell, Beck, etc. (I think we will draft more forwards over the next 2 years too). I want a Zegras (or a Lindstrom / Celebrini if we are lucky). I'd trade the top 10 pick to acquire Zegras if I had to. Sign Toffoli, bring back Monahan and you could be set at forward without trading any of our defence at this time (obviously decisions will need to be made at some point on who stays or who goes).

Fair analysis. There is more than one way to get to the finish line. I just watched scouting reports on the top 10, and the only one I feel strongly is a center after Celebrini is Catton. He reminds me a lot of Suzuki, but he's a bit lighter, and he doesn't have his shot.

Lindstrom clearly has a great shot, but he does not use his body well for a big guy. Maybe that's something he learns over time, but it's gonna take a few years for him to reach his potential, if he ever does. He is often described as Dach with a better shot, but I don't think he can create offense the way Dach does.

I guess I'm saying, while there are no perfect prospects, I'm not super thrilled with the player we might pick up at forward based on the draft position.

OK. To be fair I don't know that much about him, except that he slipped a whole lot in the draft. Glad to hear he put it back on the rails. I see him as a lower value prospect than Bourque, but that may be my own lack of info and bias. I am trying to trade for a 2nd line forward, if I am asking for a clear 1st line superstar, I apologize!

I'm thinking that Barlow will play next season in the AHL and that McGroarty will play at least a part of it there too. I think Lambert (after his full year in the AHL this year) has the best shot of playing the most NHL games among those three next year.

Edit: McGroarty not McGroraty (I always make that mistake)

How is he not? There are 3 RD positions to fill... Reinbacher, Mailloux, Barron. We trade him now, we get to start the search for his replacement. Or we keep him and work on filling the other gaps in the roster.

Thanks! Yeah these kinda posts are tricky. Bourque would be my #1 of the 3 options here

After in 25-26 Reinbacher and Mailloux should be here also Konyushkov will either be coming over or only be a year from coming over, sure we could keep Barron until then but doesn't it make more sense to move him now while his value is still high as opposed to waiting for those 3 to push him out of the lineup? Also we have Matheson, Guhle, Xhekaj, Savard and Struble to give ice time to next year and if either of Hutson or Reinbacher push for a spot Barron loses his. Savard isn't likely being moved, as much as some want him to be, he provides a great playoff style that none of our other D offers and with the goal being to make the playoffs its likely he stays. Harris, Barron and Kovacevic are IMO the most likely to be moved based solely on the direction the team is going add to it that either Levshunov or Parekh could also be added and that also suggests that Barron is likely on his way out

After in 25-26 Reinbacher and Mailloux should be here also Konyushkov will either be coming over or only be a year from coming over, sure we could keep Barron until then but doesn't it make more sense to move him now while his value is still high as opposed to waiting for those 3 to push him out of the lineup?

I don't think Barron's value has peaked yet, in fact I would say he's on the cusp of breaking out in the NHL. Play him in the top 4 next season, as he progresses his value will only get better. See how Mailloux and Reinbacher are progressing before making a decision on Barron.

I wasn't advocating to trade him right now, I was answering the question of why Barron is constantly being traded on here.

You said "doesn't it make more sense to move him now while his value is still high as opposed to waiting for those 3 to push him out of the lineup?" (those 3 being Mailloux, Reinbacher, Konyushkov).

Btw barlow can't play ahl next year would have to go back to junior. After the 2nd post draft year he can play ahl