‘It was obviously a little bit of a shock. I was hoping I would get picked up. Luckily I ended up here and excited for this new opportunity.’

Defenseman Justin Barron expressed excitement for a fresh start after being claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Blues from the Nashville Predators. The 24-year-old was placed on waivers on Saturday before the Blues quickly added him to their roster ahead of the regular season opener against the Dallas Stars. Barron noted that while the move was a shock, he welcomed the opportunity to earn regular playing time.

The Blues moved to acquire Barron due to blue-line injuries, including Tyler Tucker's week-to-week knee injury and Logan Mailloux undergoing hand surgery. General manager Alex Steen highlighted Barron's mobility and NHL experience as key assets for the right side of the defense.