Colorado Avalanche skater Mark Barberio didn’t get a lot of ice time at first, but he stepped up when the team needed him the most. Follow along in our coronavirus coverage of the players.
The Colorado Avalanche’s season is suspended, along with all other teams, at the behest of the NHL in response to coronavirus pandemic. However, coverage of the team here on Mile High Sticking won’t be suspended any more than it is in the thick of August when no hockey thing is happening. (That may change this year, of course.)
To start off, we’re going to look at how individual players were doing before the suspension of the season. Up next is defenseman/winger Mark Barberio.
Brief History of Mark Barberio
Defenseman, and sometimes forward, Mark Barberio was a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick. He spent two seasons playing for Tampa before joining the Montreal Canadiens in free agency. He bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL for two seasons while with Montreal.
The Canadiens placed Barberio on waivers on February 2, 2017, and the Colorado Avalanche picked him up. It was in the midst of their dreadful 48-point season. The 2017-18 season was his first full year with Colorado, and, unfortunately, it was plagued with injuries.
Nonetheless, the Avalanche extended Barberio’s contract for two more years on May 15, 2018. That contract expires this summer.
Mark Barberio Stats with the Colorado Avalanche
The 29-year-old Barberio is a two-way/offensive defenseman. As noted, he can even skate as a forward if necessary. That said, he’s not a prolific points earner.
Barberio has played 272 NHL games across nine seasons. He’s recorded 56 points in that time — 14 goals and 42 assists.
Barberio has played 113 games with the Colorado Avalanche. In that time, he’s recorded 6 goals and 19 assists. His best season was 2017-18 when he played 46 games and recorded 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points. It was a career season for him.
Evaluation of Mark Barberio with the Avalanche
Mark Barberio has struggled the last two seasons, and that’s a pity. A lot of the problem last year was injury. This year, he simply couldn’t crack a Colorado Avalanche team that was so stacked on defense. He even did a “conditioning stint” with the Colorado Eagles.
That said, Barberio has been ready when called upon. As the Avalanche’s forward core became decimated by injuries, Barberio stepped up to fill the role of fourth-line winger. You can’t ask for a guy more willing to give to his team.
Unfortunately, this is bound to be Barberio’s last season with the Avalanche. I don’t see any situation in which they offer him another contract. He served the team well, though, and I wish him luck finding his next gig.
And, hey, we still have the hopes of seeing some Colorado Avalanche hockey. Maybe Barberio has another game or two for the team.