(Laval, Qc) If there is one who must have watched Tuesday’s Canadian game with satisfaction, it is Jean-François Houle, the head coach of the Rocket.
He was indeed able to see Arber Xhekaj, one of his “restoration” projects of the season, experience another inspired outing alongside David Savard. Xhekaj is the only player other than Mike Matheson to play more than 20 minutes in the Habs’ 4-3 victory in Nashville. With a performance of +3, he brought his record to +5 in seven games since he was paired with Savard.
He’s doing great. Sometimes coming back to the American League, getting back to basics, can help. He plays very good hockey up top. It’s fun to see that the players who come through Laval have success at the top. It was the same with [Joel] Armia when he came back up. And Joshua Roy scored a great goal!
Jean-François Houle, head coach of the Laval Rocket
We told you he had reason to be satisfied. A satisfaction to see his coaching efforts pay off, but also to know that for the players currently under his care, there are skaters whom he can show as an example. As if to “sell” your recipe.
Which brings us to Justin Barron, one of these projects still under the leadership of Houle. Barron and Xhekaj have experienced similarities this season. The two started the schedule in Montreal, Xhekaj in the lineup from the start, Barron in the stands for the first three games. However, Xhekaj would go through turbulence: an injury, a 17-game dismissal in Laval upon his return to health, two games spent in the stands upon his return to the NHL.
In short, with his outfit in recent weeks, Xhekaj is demonstrating the benefits of learning, which Barron is currently experiencing.
I’m super happy for him. It shows that he came here, that he worked and that he is rewarded. It’s encouraging to see him going. I hope to follow in his footsteps and return to Montreal, too.
Justin Barron
Barron has played 17 games – like Xhekaj before being recalled – since his dismissal to Laval at the end of January. He has 8 points (1 goal, 7 assists) and shows an efficiency of -2.
Complex puzzle
Very smart who can predict what the end of Barron’s season will look like, on the other hand. If there is one who is surrounded by uncertainty in the organizational chart, it is him.
Let’s start “at the top”, with the Canadian. The team plays two, sometimes just one, right-handed defenders: David Savard and, when he is not left out, Johnathan Kovacevic. Except that for very different reasons, both could interest so-called buyer clubs between now and Friday.
Savard’s case has been explained many times: his experience could serve a club, but the CH has nothing to gain by exchanging him in such a depressed market for sellers. As for Kovacevic, his salary of $766,667 through 2025 makes him a potential target for a team in need of right-handers on the blue line. The compensation would be modest, of course.
If one of the two finds a buyer, Barron could therefore receive the long-awaited call, as long as he is preferred to Logan Mailloux, another right-handed defender.
But conversely, Hughes could very well opt for the status quo, to which are added the potential arrivals of Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher and Adam Engström in the organization chart. Of the lot, Reinbacher is the only right-hander, but their simple arrival, in Montreal or Laval, would add to the congestion, which always causes collateral victims. The three are, however, dependent on the results in their league before knowing if they come to Quebec. So many factors that blur the lines.
The moratorium on transactions, starting Friday at 3 p.m., will however clarify part of the picture.
“Everyone knows very well when the deadline is,” Barron recalled. What happens will happen. My focus is here, to help the team win. I’m trying to improve what I need to improve to get back to the NHL. It’s not a distraction. »
Despite his young age, Barron already has some experience at the trade deadline. On March 21, 2022, he and his brother, Morgan each moved, he from Denver to Montreal, his brother from New York to Winnipeg.
“I knew there was a chance I would be traded. But my brother didn’t think he would be traded and it was the big surprise in the family!, remembers Barron. It shows that anything can happen at the trade deadline. »
This is especially true for Justin Barron this winter, not so much for his personal situation, but for everything that may be going on around him.