Patience, perseverance pay off

Colby Barlow is living proof it’s not how you start, but rather how you finish.

The 20-year-old Winnipeg Jets forward prospect overcame a sluggish beginning to his 2024-25 season — and a notable Team Canada World Junior snub — to have a bounce back second-half and a monster playoff run.

“A clear head and more confidence,” is how Barlow described the turnaround as he spoke this week at the start of summer development camp, which runs through Friday at the Hockey For All Centre.

The 18th-overall pick in the 2023 draft played himself off the national-team radar last fall by going pointless through his first six games with the Oshawa Generals and scoring once in his first 10. It was a puzzling development from a guy who lit the lamp 40 times in 50 Ontario Hockey League games the previous year (and 46 times in 59 games in 2022-23).

“It’s always your dream of playing in that (World Juniors) tournament. It was what it was. I didn’t have that great of a start to the season. I own that,” said Barlow.

Might a sudden change of scenery have played a role? Barlow had skated for three years with the Owen Sound Attack and was traded to Oshawa right after he was sent back to junior following Jets training camp.

“I thought I’d be better, and I just continued to work on myself and try to become better,” he said.

Barlow said he got some valuable assists from Jets athletic trainer Jake Wolff along with Jimmy Roy and Mike Keane of the player development department.

“It’s always your dream of playing in that (World Juniors) tournament. It was what it was. I didn’t have that great of a start to the season. I own that.”– Colby Barlow

“Wolfie gave me a lot of things to work on in the gym and I think that all kind of came together in the second half of the season, near the end and the playoffs which really gave me that extra jump,” he said.

“And Jimmy and Keaner were there a lot helping me through it. You learn it’s not going to be a clear path, you’re not going to be amazing every night. I think it’s important to learn that, understand that it’s going to happen again at some point. That’s just how it goes. But it was good for me to learn that and how to become a better version of me through that.”

Barlow was producing at better than a point-per-game pace down the stretch, finishing with 61 (32G, 29A) in 62 games. The Orillia, Ont., native really found another gear in the playoffs with 33 points (14G, 19A) in 21 games as Oshawa made it to the OHL championship, falling to London which went on to win the Memorial Cup.

“I think it’s good to go through stuff like that sometimes. You learn about yourself, you learn about adversity. You become better when you go through stuff like that,” said Barlow.

“It was such a great group of guys in Oshawa. It was a long playoff run, it was fun. We came up short in the finals which was disappointing but to get that experience, to get that kind of exposure was awesome.”

He’s looking to carry the momentum forward as he prepares to start his professional career this fall.

Barlow will again attend Jets camp, but this time a demotion would be to the Manitoba Moose rather than back to junior. Of course, he’s hoping to show he’s ready for the big leagues sooner than later.

“This is going to be the hardest summer of my career. Pro is a whole other level.”– Colby Barlow

“This is going to be the hardest summer of my career,” said Barlow.

“Pro is a whole other level. Just focusing on how much stronger I’m going to have to be, how much faster I’m going to have to be. Just going to work as hard as I can.”

Roy said growth doesn’t always happen in a straight line and Barlow has learned patience and perseverance can pay off.

“He’s a great kid. He’s going to have some success here,” he said. “There were some things that he had to figure out on his own. We try to help him with stuff like that but they had a great coaching staff and ownership in Oshawa that helped him too and made a good run.”

Barlow, now a seasoned veteran of development camp, is embracing more responsibilities and opportunities.

“Obviously when you know people it’s more of a comfortable situation. This is my third development camp, I’ve been to two main camps and played a few games in the AHL (with the Moose in the spring of 2024, scoring a goal and adding two assists in three games),” said Barlow.

“He’s a great kid. He’s going to have some success here.”– Jimmy Roy, director of player development for the Jets

“It’s good to know everybody and make friendships like that.”

Unfortunately one buddy he isn’t seeing this week is Chaz Lucius, the 18th-overall pick of the 2021 draft who has had to retire from pro hockey as a result of being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic condition that makes your body’s connective tissue weaker than usual.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking to see that. He’s a great guy. We hit it off right from the first camp,” said Barlow.

“I just wish him all the best. Health and family is No. 1. I hope he’s healthy and does well and finds a path that’s for him. Because he was a great guy for me when I was here. Can’t take a day for granted because you never know what’s going to happen. I just wish him the best.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg