It’s not news that Tyson Barrie has struggled thus far as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it is news that the defenceman’s future with the club may be in question.
During Hockey Night in Canada’s Saturday Headlines segment, Elliotte Friedman reported that Barrie’s name has been circulating in the hockey world and the Leafs have received calls about the 28-year-old’s availability. Friedman clarified that Toronto is not currently looking to trade Barrie, nor has Barrie requested a trade.
However, there seems to be a recognition that Barrie’s time in Toronto has not been working and cannot continue along this trajectory for an extended period, especially for his sake. Barrie is set to become a free agent this summer, making this season one of immense importance for him.
It’s also safe to say that Barrie will draw significant interest from other teams thanks in part to his $2.75 million price tag resulting from the Avalanche retaining half of his salary in the Nazem Kadri trade.
Friedman with some Tyson Barrie trade rumors... #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/zJKrLCY68L
— David Nestico (@davidnestico200) November 17, 2019
The Leafs’ big off-season acquisition has collected six assists and is goalless through 22 games this year — the least productive start to a season in his career aside from the 10 games he played in his rookie season.
No, Barrie’s numbers aren’t pretty, and yes, he is struggling. But he’s still a heck of a player and we’re only a month and a half into the NHL season. It feels too early for either party to jump ship. We’ll see how the situation shakes out.
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