Among the few additions the Calgary Flames made in the offseason, they took a flyer on defenceman Tyson Barrie, who they originally signed to a Professional Try-Out (PTO). The 33-year-old impressed the team enough during the preseason to earn a one-year, $1.25 million deal, but not much has happened with him.
Barrie has found himself stapled to the press box many times this season, as he’s only appeared in nine total games. He only has two points in those games and has basically acted as the team’s eighth defenceman.
Although Barrie may not be the player he once was, it’s surprising how underutilized he has been. This suggests the team may have acquired a piece they didn’t truly need, and the Flames should consider moving on from him entirely.
The idea of bringing Barrie in
Barrie did not have a great stint with the Nashville Predators last season, as he only recorded a goal and 15 points in 41 games. He requested a trade from the team, but there were no takers for him at last year’s trade deadline, so he ended up becoming a free agent. It took a while, but Barrie’s camp circled back to the Flames after initially being against a PTO, but also realizing it was his only shot at continuing his NHL career.
The addition of Barrie happened near the start of the preseason, so his signing was somewhat last minute. Flames fans liked the idea of adding a player like Barrie for cheap as he was another veteran mentor who could be an asset to the Flames’ struggling power play. Additionally, since Barrie was only signed for a year, he potentially could’ve been another trade asset the Flames could offer near the trade deadline, but it seems like that won’t be the case now. The Flames have really only used him as a locker-room presence, and his lack of games suggests his services may be viewed as redundant by the team.
How many more games will Barrie get?
With the season halfway done, Barrie only playing nine games is not encouraging. It seems like the Flames’ coaching staff don’t have a place for him in the lineup, and he hasn’t seen enough action to warrant any trade value for himself.
One option could be placing him on waivers. Maybe he clears or gets claimed by a team to get a new opportunity. Either way, his role is easily replaceable at this stage of his career.
If the Flames do however find themselves in the situation where they need his services, the power play is where he thrives. Barrie has been an offensive defenceman during his entire time in the league and has been a strong power play quarterback on teams such as Colorado and Edmonton. While the Flames power play has looked better as of late, it still could use an offensive jolt, which Barrie could provide.
There’s no denying that Barrie is a great human and makes the locker room a better place, but was his addition really necessary? After all, the Flames have some young defenceman in the AHL who could be great call-up candidates, and it’s looking like Barrie is likely staying as this team’s eighth defenceman unless things change over the next few months.
