Andrew Barbeau has what it takes


By
July 27, 2014

Suffice to say that Moe Mantha knows a thing or two about defencemen, having patrolled the blueline in the National Hockey League over a career that spanned 12 seasons and 673 games.

Now the coach of the Michigan Warriors of the North American Hockey League, the 53-year old Mantha is of the notion that he has a good, up-and-coming young defenceman on his hands in Andrew Barbeau.

“He has got what it takes to play in the NAHL,” Mantha said of Barbeau, a 5-foot-10, 185 pound, 1997 birth-year defender who advanced from the Soo Thunder minor midgets in 2012-2013 to the Soo Indians major midgets in 2013-2014.

The Warriors recently held a week-long main tryout in Flint and Barbeau had a “strong camp” according to Mantha.

“He’s very competitive and he has a good attitude,” Mantha added. “He’s a character kid and I can see why he was the captain of his team last season.”

The Warriors selected Barbeau in the second round of the 2014 NAHL draft and Mantha said the strong, sturdy, puck-moving defenceman “lived up to his billing.

“I am really looking forward to working with Andrew this season and assisting him with his development,” Mantha said evenly.

To be sure, Barbeau has earned his spot on the current 25-player roster of the Warriors, who under the tutelage of Mantha have won the NAHL’s North Division championship in two of the four seasons — 2013-2014 included — that the franchise has been in existence.

“It’s very apparent to me that he is a coachable young man,” Mantha said in further praise of Barbeau, who had 7 goals, 9 assists, 16 points in 51 games for the Pat Carricato-coached Indians in 2013-2014.


What you think about “Andrew Barbeau has what it takes”

  1. Randy,I have had a few good conversations with Moe Mantha Sr and its not hard to see where his son would get that from.

  2. I could not agree more! Andrew Barbeau was quite impressive during the Michigan Warrior’s Tryout Camp. He has terrific hockey skills, and is a well mannered and very likable young gentleman to boot. I look forward to seeing Andrew Barbeau hone his skills to a razor’s edge as a proud member of the Michigan Warriors! Go Andrew! Go Warriors!

  3. This is a great accomplishment for the young, intelligent barbeau. As we all read on more than one occasion, we understand how good of a player he really is. But at the same time It sort of feels like déjàvu. The same names keep coming up on articles like these. What about kids like Killins who committed to Division 1 hockey, or Shane Zorzit from the sudbury nickle capital wolves. There are plenty more other names out there that I have missed that are doing very well for them selves and are tied to the Sault some how. I just believe it would be nice to hear about them once in a while.

    1. HockeyFan1714,

      Why don’t you pass some of the your information on instead of taking the opportunity to jab Andrew Barbeau for the much-deserved coverage he is receiving?

      Pick up the phone and call me or send me an e-mail and identify yourself. You might be surprised at the results.

      Also, I am not posting your comments about Nick Trecroce and Adam Baggs. Show some class and don’t chirp teenage hockey players while using an alias.

  4. No one is jabbing anybody I feel teenage kids are loosing hope or not feeling important enough based on the fact that they are never noticed. It looks like at times you write only about them for reasons only you know about. Do not get me wrong they are unbelievable athletes and great kids. But you are missing out on guys that are left in the shadow and its sad. Im just saying from my own personal experiences when I was playing. Ya i was never the stand out guy but I did accomplish things that should of been exposed. Its just confidence boosters for all kids

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