Rangers veteran Barclay Goodrow excited for upcoming season with Sharks following surprise New York exit

Barclay Goodrow’s tenure with the New York Rangers ended on a cold note this year, as general manager Chris Drury placed him on waivers. Circumventing his 15-team no-trade list as the 31-year-old was subsequently claimed by the San Jose Sharks.

The ruthless move drew a harsh reaction from Goodrow, who spent three seasons in New York as an alternate captain, as well as some of his teammates. New York Post NHL insider Larry Brooks also reported that many players were unhappy with how Drury handled the situation.

Also Read: 5 alternate jerseys the New York Rangers should bring back

Despite having the Sharks on his no-trade list, Goodrow now seems to be warming up to the idea of returning to San Jose.

“I think he’s kind of turned the page on New York now,” newly appointed Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky told NHL.com recently. “He’s all bought in, and I’m excited because he’s a big piece of our team.”

Goodrow had a major dip in production during the 2023-24 season. As he posted just four goals and 12 points in 80 games after two straight seasons of 10-plus goals and 30-plus points. Nevertheless, Goodrow was a more than serviceable Ranger, playing vital minutes on the top penalty kill unit.

His value shined in what proved to be his final Rangers postseason. Scoring five goals in 16 games while shooting at a ridiculous 40 percent clip. The two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning enjoyed another iconic playoff moment, drawing a thunderous roar from the Madison Square Garden fans in Game 2 of the East Finals as his overtime goal evened the series with the Florida Panthers 1-1.

Despite his postseason production, Drury saw an opportunity to dump the final three years of his $3.6 million AAV contract, a hefty price to pay for a fourth-liner, giving way to an unceremonious end to Goodrow’s Blueshirt tenure.

“This is a business, and that’s part of life,” Warsofsky added. “And he’s responded great.”

Goodrow joins a Sharks team that finished dead last in the NHL with 47 points, finishing the year with the second-fewest goals and the most goals allowed in the League. That earned them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, which they used to select Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner and consensus best prospect in the draft class.

Related: Rangers veteran may land with Eastern Conference rival for 2024-25 season

Celebrini, along with last year’s No. 4 overall pick Will Smith, lead the charge of a new youth movement in San Jose. But they’ll also have some more veteran help than last year’s squad did, with Sharks GM Mike Grier bringing in the likes of Goodrow, Tyler Toffoli, and Cody Ceci.

Rangers vet Goodrow happy about San Jose reunion

Goodrow spent the first six seasons of his NHL career with the Sharks, signing an entry-level contract in 2014-15 after going undrafted. He had some solid seasons and memorably scored the Game 7 overtime goal in Round 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Capping off a huge comeback after trailing in both the game and the series 3-1.

It seems as if that familiarity has helped the 10-year veteran warm up to a return.

“He’s obviously been in San Jose before, and he knows some of the guys,” Warsofsky noted. “He and [captain Logan Couture] are really close so that helps. We talked for a while, and he’s in a good place, and he’s excited.”

Barclay Goodrow stats (2023-24): 80 games, 4 goals, 8 assists, -13 +/-

Goodrow spent all six years of his Sharks tenure alongside Couture and defenseman Marc-Eduoard Vlasic while also playing at least one season with Mario Ferraro, Kevin Lablanc, Ryan Carpenter, and Nikolai Knyzhov.

The New York Rangers will play the San Jose Sharks twice this season. Goodrow will have a chance to get the last laugh when he returns to MSG for the first time on November 14th.

Subscribe now on YouTube and be part of a community where passion for the New York Rankers knows no bounds!

More must-reads:

• Rangers make former prospect their new head goalie coach
• Die-hard begs Rangers to honor Sam Rosen with this power-play plan
• Rangers star No. 5 in NHL Network Top 20 wingers ranking