Matt Barron was just a kid when the Yarmouth Mariners’ franchise record for most points was first set.
As a young boy, and a young hockey player, he hung around the rink a lot because his dad Laurie – “LB,” as the players called him – was an assistant coach with the Jr. A team. The young Barron had a passion, and a talent, for the sport. He would hang out and help out at practices and games; filling up team water bottles then, that he drinks out of now.
Back then, a different hometown player was making and leaving his mark on the team.
Justin d’Entremont was one of the original Mariners, starting out during their first season in Yarmouth in 2002-2003. He played the next three seasons, and by the time he had laced up his skates for his last regular season game his name was associated with many franchise records – most regular season games played, most goals, most assists and most points.
Three of those records – games, assists and points – were going on 14 years strong this season, until Matt Barron started knocking them down.
On Dec. 6 in Bridgewater, Barron played his 211th regular-season game, breaking d’Entremont’s record of 210 games. That same month, in a game against the Valley Wildcats, he became the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 149, breaking d’Entremont’s record of 148.
Since then, Barron had been chasing down d’Entremont’s last-standing franchise record, this one for points.
First, he caught it this past weekend with a goal in a game against South Shore. Then, he passed it the next night with an assist in a game versus Truro.
D’Entremont had 246 points. Barron now stands at 247.
#44 Matt Barron broken the @MarinersHockey franchise All-Time Points record with his 247th career point!!! pic.twitter.com/96QG8sfjux
— Pucky Woo (@p_dub27) January 25, 2020
#44 Matt Barron has broken the Yarmouth Jr A Mariners franchise All-Time record for most points. pic.twitter.com/Hk3VaBvA9a
— Yarmouth Mariners (@MarinersHockey) January 25, 2020
Reflecting on records
From his home in Saskatoon, d’Entremont says the records he set 14 years ago aren't something he thought about often over the years.
“Life goes on and you carry on,” he says.
But a few years ago d’Entremont started paying attention to the records again when former Mariner Colin Campbell started creeping up on his stats. In his last-ever regular season game as a Mariner in March 2014, Campbell broke d’Entremont’s record for overall goals when he scored his 99th. But he landed one point behind d’Entremont for overall points.
D’Entremont tells the Tri-County Vanguard newsroom he has been much happier knowing it would be Barron who was going to break his points record.
“Colin Campbell was only a name to me, I didn’t know him,” he says, whereas he feels a connection to Barron. “I was coached by Laurie and I knew Matt as a kid. He was this cool little kid, running around the rink.”
Asked about memories he has about Barron, d’Entremont recalls a time he helped LB coach one of Matt’s novice games.
“I remember he scored a goal and he did this Alex Ovechkin celebration where he kissed his glove and fist-pumped the air. Here was this little kid who obviously was aware of one of the great players, Ovechkin, and wanted to imitate him,” he says.
He also remembers when Laurie Barron worked at a Yarmouth-based sporting goods store that was frequented by the Mariners.
“I remember being in there and Laurie was squatting down, basically being a back catcher with one of the baseball gloves off the rack, and Matthew was there pitching to him, right there in the sports store,” he says.
Remembering d'Entremont
Barron also has some memories of d’Entremont, one of the players he looked up to as a kid.
“I was very young when Justin played with the Mariners so I don’t remember everything about him, but I know he was a very skilled player who played hard,” says Barron. “It’s funny because I probably used his name many times playing hockey down in my basement, so to be in the same conversation as him is very special.”
“The fact that he was a local player and I have a chance to have point production that is close to his makes it very special,” Barron says.
After his time playing junior A hockey in Yarmouth, d’Entremont moved out west. He played senior hockey for about 10 years. Now, most of his hockey is spent chasing his 10-year-old son around rinks for his minor hockey games.
After leaving Yarmouth he really got involved in ball hockey. In 2017 he was part of a Team Canada that competed at a world championship. Just recently, d’Entremont, 34, was named an assistant coach of a Team Canada ball hockey team heading to the Czech Republic in June to compete.
“The team I’m coaching is the master’s division so it’s 40 and older, which is a unique situation in that I’m actually younger than all of the players on team,” he says.
D’Entremont fondly remembers his years playing with the Mariners and says it’s special to have been a part of the team in its initial years.
“It was awesome. There was a big buzz around it immediately. I know the team has always done well with attendance; I believe we sold out every game. They built the expansion onto the Mariners Centre while I was there,” he says.
Asked about a favourite memory, he recalls for part of his first season a bagpiper would come onto the ice to play before the players skated on.
“It was just the coolest thing,” he says.
Asked if he has something he wishes he could “do over,” he most definitely does.
“In my third year we hosted the Fred Page Cup and we lost 4-3 in the final to Hawkesbury from Ontario. I tore my rotator cuff in my shoulder in the first game of playoffs that year, so I missed the whole playoffs and then when the Fred Page Cup came around I still wasn’t 100 per cent,” he says.
“So if I could go back, I would not try to lay that big hit and injure myself so I could have been healthy enough to contribute more and maybe help us win the Fred Page Cup.”
Barron's contributions
Barron’s first season playing with the Mariners was in 2015-2016. This season will be his last. This year is the first year Barron wears the ‘C’ on his jersey, although many players, past and present – and fans – have always regarded him as a team leader.
In the Canadian Tire Cup playoffs last season Barron helped propel his team to the league championship by contributing 17 points in 14 games. He was named playoff MVP on the night the Mariners swept the Campbellton Tigers to win the title.
Barron led the Mariners in scoring last season with 72 points. He leads the club again this year with another big number – 64 points as of Jan. 27.
But for Barron, his play has never been about individual performance; he’s a team-first guy through and through.
Remembering that little kid who used to hang around the Mariners Centre, d’Entremont isn’t surprised that Barron has grown into such a skilled, talented and respected player.
“I know their family, Laurie and Laurie’s wife and their daughters, they’re all a very nice family. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that Matt grew up to be a very good guy,” he says.
D’Entremont jokes that there is one of his records that Barron can’t touch.
“Matt will be on top of games played, he’ll be on top of assists and points. But he has a ways to go to catch me in penalty minutes,” says d’Entremont, laughing. “I am proudly third all-time in penalty minutes, so Matthew, good luck catching me there, you’ve got a ways to go buddy.”
But as proud as d’Entremont was to set his franchise records, he has as much pride to see Barron breaking them.
“If somebody was going to pass my record I’m glad it’s him,” d’Entremont says. “I'm proud of Matt. I’m very happy and glad to pass the torch.”
Just a matter of time before it happened. Was a pleasure seeing over 100 of these, congrats Matty 🐐 #BBQ https://t.co/muQlSt1FDQ
— Brent Broaders (@BBroaders) January 26, 2020