Jets ink checking-forward Barron to two-year bridge deal By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 5:12 PM CDT Monday, Jul. 17, 2023

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This article was published 17/07/2023 (788 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The wound has healed, the scar is fading and shocked glances from strangers aren’t nearly as frequent.

“People tell me it looks a lot better than they expected it to,” Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron said with a laugh as he spoke with the Free Press by phone Monday from his off-season home in Halifax.

A combination of creams, acupuncture and red-light therapy has been part of his summer routine as the 24-year-old continues to recover from a nasty skate cut above his right eye which he suffered in a playoff game against the Vegas Golden Knights in April.

It required more than 70 stitches to close and made him, in many ways, the face of the franchise. A mangled mug, we might add, that is sporting a huge smile after signing a two-year contract extension with the team Monday that will pay him US$1.35 million per season.

“I’m excited. I think it’s a good fit for myself and the team,” Barron said of what is known in hockey circles as a bridge deal. “Just kind of gives you a little bit of a window here, kind of two years to prove myself and prove that I can do more than I have.”

The future certainly looks bright for Barron, who just completed his first full season in the NHL and put up 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 70 regular-season games, primarily on an effective checking line with Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton that would often be matched against other teams’ best forwards.

In that sense, defence is more of a priority than offence, but Barron showed the potential to do damage at the other end of the rink, too.

“I felt like I was around the net a lot last year and had some opportunities that I would have liked to go in,” said Barron, who uses his 6-4, 220-pound frame to create time and space.

“I think I chalked part of that up to (bad) luck, but it’s also been something I’ve focused a lot on this off-season so far. Just finding ways to kind of bury those chances, because I feel like I did a good job of kind of creating them.”

Barron was a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights, coming off a deal that paid him US$925,000 last year. A hearing had been set for Aug. 2 with a third party who would have heard arguments and made a binding ruling had the sides not found common ground.

“I was pretty confident it would get worked out. I know it’s been a busy off-season for the Jets so far,” he said. “I felt like we were in a good place, myself and the team, and were able to get an amicable agreement.”

Indeed, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has already traded centre Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings for a trio of players in Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari and also bought veteran Blake Wheeler out of the final year of his deal.

“I think we’re going to have a ton more depth in our lineup this year,” Barron said.

“We played Vegas and all the talk was about how deep their lineup was. That’s something every team can use. Obviously we’ll miss Wheels and Dubie quite a bit, but I’m excited to meet those (new) guys. Real productive players, and I think there will be a really good fit.”

“I was pretty confident it would get worked out. I know it’s been a busy off-season for the Jets so far.”–Morgan Barron

The Jets were dominant in a Game 1 victory over the Golden Knights and played a solid opening period in Game 2 before the wheels came off. A Game 3 overtime loss at Canada Life Centre also had Barron wondering “what if,” especially as he watched Vegas ultimately win it all last month.

“Obviously the series was 4-1, but I do feel like it played out closer than that at times,” said Barron.

“A lot of the emphasis is obviously on that Game 5. I’m sure every team is kind of sitting here saying what could have been but I do feel like we were right there. Now, with the additions we can hopefully be a stronger team this year. So a ton of excitement, and I can’t wait to get back.”

With Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Nino Niederreiter, Cole Perfetti and Vlad Namestnikov joining Barron, Lowry, Appleton, Vilardi, Iafallo and Kupari, Winnipeg’s top 12 forwards seem fairly set. Vilardi and Kupari are also RFAs who need new deals this summer. Vilardi has an arbitration hearing set for July 28.

There are depth players such as David Gustafsson, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Jansen Harkins, Dominic Toninato, Jeffrey Viel, Kristian Reichel and Jeff Malott competing with dynamic young prospects such as Chaz Lucius and Brad Lambert for work as well.

Barron, obtained from the New York Rangers in 2022 as part of the Andrew Copp trade (along with draft picks that turned into Lambert and defenceman Elias Salomonsson), became a fan favourite last spring after missing only a few shifts following his gruesome injury, which made headlines around the world.

“I probably didn’t appreciate how much it was gonna kind of impact everyone,” he said of how his ordeal spread like wildfire.

“As time kind of passed on I obviously felt a lot of support from the community in Winnipeg and obviously all my teammates in the organization. It wouldn’t have been the way I would pick to kind of rally the troops, so to say, but that’s kind of a positive I can take from it.”

And how about this for a small world? The player who accidentally carved him with his blade during that chaotic goal-mouth scramble is Laurent Brossoit, who is now his new teammate. No doubt they’ll have plenty to chat about at training camp in September.

“I probably didn’t appreciate how much it was gonna kind of impact everyone.”–Morgan Barron

“I think it’s coming along. It’s definitely still a scar there but I think that will continue to subside in time hopefully,” said Barron. “It’s not causing any discomfort or anything. So you know, that is a blessing in itself. It could have been a lot worse, for sure.”

In addition to working on his physical appearance and his on-ice skills this summer, Barron is also trying to squeeze a bit of time in to golf. He’s going to be teeing it up next month at the Manitoba Open, playing against the top pros of the PGA Tour Canada on a sponsor’s exemption that originally went to Wheeler. It’s set for Aug. 17-20 at Southwood Golf & Country Club.

“Right now my game is not quite up to snuff, but I’m sure I’ll be able to hit it around respectably by the time the tournament comes around,” said Barron, who follows in the golf shoes of teammates Scheifele and Connor to play in the prestigious annual event.

“I’m excited for it. I’m sure I’ll be terrified on the first hole. I’m sure I won’t be keeping up with those guys, but I’ll at least try not to hold them up.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg