The Canadiens prospect is looking to put himself in the best position to be recalled to Montreal.
It's been over a month since Justin Barron was assigned to the Laval Rocket by the Canadiens. After being scratched for the first four games of the season, Barron dressed in 41 of the next 42 contests in Montreal.
His confidence was not at its highest and as a result, Martin St. Louis reduced Barron's ice time before his demotion to the AHL.
"I felt like I had played two good months of hockey before Christmas, and then after Christmas, I had a couple of tough games, found myself in a bit of a rut. And then I felt like I had some good games after that and then my consistency in my game was not where it needed to be and where it was before Christmas. Part of coming [to Laval] was to get my confidence back and feel better about my game," said Barron on Friday.
After five weeks in the AHL, the defenseman sees progress in his game. "I feel good. I feel more comfortable than I did when I first got here. It's been a couple weeks, settling in with the team, getting used to playing with [William Trudeau], different guys on the power play and stuff. I feel pretty good about my game."
Barron's focus is to improve on the defensive aspect of his game. He wants to be harder to play against, improving his stick details and closing in on opponents quicker.
In the 14 games with Laval, Jean-Francois Houle has given the 22-year-old consistent ice time on the power play and penalty kill units.
"He's been alright. He's been touching the puck a little bit more. He's providing some offence, he jumps into the play. His defensive play is pretty good. He's been using his body better, using his stick and he's a big part of our team right now," evaluated the coach.
Goal is to Return to Montreal
The 25th overall pick of the 2020 draft is fully invested in prioritizing his development for the balance of the season.
"Keep building my game, getting better defensively, trying to put myself in the best position to be the next one called up if it happens," said Barron stating his objectives.
With eight regular defensemen on the Canadiens' roster and the potential of Lane Hutson joining before the end of the season, there is no guarantee that the Nova Scotia native will receive another opportunity in Montreal this year.
"That's the goal (to return to NHL) but my focus is here right now. All I can control is my play and try to help this team win," Barron noted.
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