The St. Louis Blues dominated the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Thanks in a big part to one recent waiver pickup.
Justin Barron had a game to remember in the Blues' 6-2 win over the Golden Knights. He finished the game with four points and a goal, which easily made him the game's First Star.
What is more amazing, though, is that Barron was playing for another Central Division team just one month ago. Barron decided to stick around with the Nashville Predators in July 2026, when he signed another contract with the team. He previously appeared in 97 games for Nashville, posting 21 points.
Nashville put Barron on waivers, and the Blues claimed him on Sep. 27. Barron has since played in seven games for St. Louis, recording five points and a goal, with a plus-7 rating across 16:28 of average ice time. Barron, though, may have earned himself more ice time following Thursday night's performance.
Barron is part of a young Blues rotation that includes Philip Broberg, Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein, and Logan Mailloux. That doesn't include veterans Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Brandon Carlo. With the Blues continually getting younger, Barron can build on his successful outing vs. Vegas and separate himself from the pack.
So far, Barron has done a solid job, posting a 51.9 Corsi For Percentage at 5-on-5, a 14.5 on-ice shooting percentage, and a 95.5 on-ice save percentage. Barron has shown he's fine with playing a physical game, with six body checks. He has also shown that he is willing to get in front of pucks, with 10 blocked shots this season.
Recent history has also driven home Barron's potential. In 2024-25, he suited up for 45 games with what was a disappointing Predators team. Still, Barron posted a 53.5 Corsi For Percentage at even strength and was on the ice for 31 goals. He did see 45 of them land in Nashville's net, but the Predators struggled in all phases of the game that season.
Barron also saw time in 52 games in 2025-26, with a 51.1 Corsi For at even strength. He was on the ice for just 28 goals last year, but his on-ice save percentage climbed to 90.4. Barron was also in the game for just 30 goals allowed at even strength.
Following his unforgettable performance vs. the Golden Knights, Barron is now second on the Blues in points among defensemen, with five. He is trailing only Philip Broberg, who has six. However, Barron has .714 points per game, well above Broberg's .600.
That said, this has only been one great game. Barron had one point in six contests before Thursday night, so he has work to do if he wants to be a long-term fixture with the St. Louis Blues.
He doesn't need to enjoy repeat performances. But if Barron can routinely log one-third to a half-point per game, on average, keep helping to create offensively, and play solid defense, he can work his way into a perennial full-time role with the Blues.
He will get more opportunities to show that he can stick around and separate himself from those competing for ice time in the near future.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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