Colorado Avalanche Could Trade Tyson Barrie to the New Jersey Devils

Pros and Cons of Tyson Barrie’s Game

It’s true Colorado needs help on defense. However, it’s not like Barrie provides a lot of that. He can be a good puck mover, and he’s been known to be positionally sound, but defense is the first part of his game to disappear.

More from Mile High Sticking

• Could Colorado Avalanche move on from Pavel Francouz next offseason?
• 4 goalies to replace Pavel Francouz if he has to miss time
• Colorado Avalanche make sneaky signing with Tatar
• Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could return in 2023-24 playoffs
• Colorado Avalanche rookie face-off tournament roster

No, Tyson Barrie’s great contribution to the team is his offense. Last season he led all defensemen and was fourth on the whole team for scoring with 38 points.

In four full seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, Barrie has twice reached 38 points, recorded 49 points, and had a 53-point season. Three times he’s scored over 10 goals.

As I noted above, Barrie is a strong skater, as shown by his roving ways. Not only can he score, he’s known to do so under pressure. If you’re down by one or two goals late in the third period, you want Tyson Barrie on the ice. He’s also the coveted right-hand defenseman.

Besides defense leaving his game, Barrie is undersized for an NHL defenseman at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. It’s true he takes a hit like a champ, but it’s easy to overpower Barrie.

Nonetheless, Tyson Barrie is the new style of NHL defenseman — smallish, but speedy and able to move the puck. So, NHL teams want him. Let’s see what the New Jersey Devils might have on offer.