Tyson Barrie

Junior

After initially playing in the Midget AAA league with the Juan de Fuca Grizzlies, Barrie began his major junior career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kelowna Rockets at the tail end of the 2006–07 season.

In his rookie season with the Rockets in 2007–08 season, he showed early potential as an offensive presence on the blueline, leading team defencemen with nine goals, 34 assists and 43 points. Barrie's debut season coincided with the club's resurgence from the bottom of the B.C. Division to second place with a seven-game series first round playoff appearance in which he contributed with four points. At year's end, Barrie impressive rookie season was recognised with a selection to the CHL All-Rookie Team.

Barrie improved upon his first full season success to again lead all Rockets defenceman in points with 12 goals and 52 points in the 2008–09 regular season. He contributed with 18 post-season points in 22 games, including scoring the championship clinching overtime goal in game six against the Calgary Hitmen to help the Rockets capture the WHL's Ed Chynoweth Cup. Following a Memorial Cup appearance with the Rockets he featured in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game.

In his first year of eligibility, Barrie was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round, 64th overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was elevated by the Rockets to their leadership group when he was added as an Alternate Captain for the 2009–10 season. Barrie suffered an early injury in his third season, ruling him out of the line-up for a month before returning to score at over a point-per-game average, to impressively co-lead all WHL defenceman in scoring with 72 points in 63 games. As a result, Barrie was selected to the WHL Western Conference First-All-Star Team, the CHL Second All-Star Team and was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the League's Defenseman of the Year.

On September 23, 2010, he was announced as the Kelowna Rockets captain for the 2010–11 season. With the focus to improve his all-round game, Barrie dropped his offensive output from his previous season, however still led all blueliners in scoring amongst the Rockets with 58 points in 54 games. He was again selected to the Western Conference First All-Star Team, and finished runner-up to fellow Avalanche draft pick, Stefan Elliott, in voting for the Bill Hunter Trophy. On March 25, 2011, Barrie signalled the end of his junior career when he was signed by the Avalanche to a three-year entry level contract. He completed his tenure with the Kelowna Rockets to finish as the club's highest scoring defenceman in history with 228 points in 256 games.

Professional

After attending his third Avalanche training camp, Barrie made his professional debut in the 2011–12 season, assigned to the Avalanche's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. As a defenceman, he impressively led the Monsters in scoring at the midpoint of the campaign and was selected in the AHL All-Star Game, scoring a goal and helping the Western Conference to victory. Shortly after, on February 4, 2012, he received his first NHL call-up by the Avalanche. He made his debut three days later on February 7, in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at the Pepsi Center. He appeared in four games before he was returned to the Monsters. He was later recalled to finish the season with 10 scoreless games for the Avalanche before he finished the season with the Monsters, leading the club in scoring from the blueline with 32 points in only 49 games.

With the NHL Lockout in effect, Barrie began the 2012–13 season with Lake Erie. As the Monsters' leading offensive defenceman, Barrie was recalled by the Avalanche on January 11, 2013, and made the opening night roster for the shortened season. In his fifth game of the season, Barrie registered his first point, an assist, on a goal by Milan Hejduk in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild on February 14, 2013. He later posted his first NHL goal four days later in a 6-5 victory over the Nashville Predators. After a brief return to the AHL, Barrie established himself within the top 6 on the Avalanche defence. He became the first Avalanche rookie defenceman to score an overtime winner in another contest against the Predators on March 30, 2013. Despite missing the post-season, Barrie led all Colorado players in average ice-time and also the defence in scoring with 2 goals, 11 assists and 13 points in 32 games.

In the final year of his rookie contract, Barrie opened the 2013–14 season, tentatively under the guide of new head coach, Patrick Roy. After the first Month of the season, Barrie was reassigned to the AHL to regain confidence and conditioning. He contributed with 3 assists in 6 games with Lake Erie before he was recalled to Colorado on November 17, 2013, paying immediate dividends in his first game back with 2 assists in a 5-1 success against the Chicago Blackhawks. Having secured a role as a top-four defenceman, Barrie broke out offensively with the resurgent Avalanche posting 13 goals in the highest total achieved since John-Michael Liles seven years prior. His three overtime markers, matched an Avalanche recored in a single season (David Jones), and he became the Avalanche career leader in OT goals from blueliners with 4. Ranking second with 25 assists and 38 points, Barrie helped the Avalanche claim their first Division title since 2003. During the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, after recording 2 assists in the opening three games and as an instrumental influence in the Avalanche's early success, Barrie was the victim of a knee-on-knee hit by Minnesota Wild forward Matt Cooke and missed the rest of the playoffs with a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL). Cooke was immediately suspended for the remainder of the matchup as the Avalanche failed to recover in losing the series in 7 games.

As a restricted free agent over the summer, Barrie settled on a two-year bridge deal, worth $5.2 Million, on September 4, 2014. Barrie returned in full-health to begin the 2014–15 season. Playing primarily alongside Nick Holden, Barrie appeared in a career high 80 games, and finished 8th among league defenceman with 53 points. In reaching 50 points, Barrie became just the fourth defenceman in Avalanche history to achieve the feat, joining illustrious company in Sandis Ozolinsh, Rob Blake and Ray Bourque. His 37 even strength points, tied a franchise record alongside Steve Duchesne of the then Nordiques. He led the Avalanche in ice time for a non goalie with 1,709 minutes, however was unable to help Colorado return to the playoffs.

In the 2015–16 season, Barrie familiarly would lead the defence in scoring with 13 goals and 49 points, collecting 21 points on the powerplay. In establishing himself as an elite offensive defensman league wide, Barrie reached the conclusion of his second contract in Colorado. As a restricted free agent, with the Avalanche unable to initially agree to a contract due to concerns on his defensive game, Barrie elected for Arbitration. He was the only player in the summer to proceed through arbitration, however whilst the case was in deliberations he reached a settlement to re-sign to a four-year, $22 million deal with the Avalanche on July 31, 2016.

International play

Barrie made his international debut at the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge with Team Canada Pacific. Barrie was first invited to partake in Canada's National Junior Team development camp in 2010. He was again included to take part in Canada's 2011 National Junior Team selection camp and was among the final names to make the team. Barrie was among the team's top players during the tournament, as Canada was forced to settle for the silver medal in a 5–3 collapse against Russia in the Final. Barrie would win gold with team Canada in the 2015 IIHF World Championship along with fellow Colorado Avalanche teammates Matt Duchene, Nathan Mackinnon and Ryan O'Reilly.

Following another season without qualifying for the playoffs with the Avalanche, Barrie was selected to the initial Canada squad for the 2017 IIHF World Championship in Germany/France. Barrie was amongst the tournament leaders with 7 points in just 3 games before he was ruled out for the remainder of the Championships after suffering a laceration to his leg while wrestling with a teammate at the team hotel on May 11, 2017.

Personal

Barrie is the son of former NHLer and Tampa Bay Lightning former co-owner Len Barrie. He is from Langford, British Columbia, located on Vancouver Island, a suburb of Victoria.