July 22: The wait is over, and Goodrow is officially a New York Ranger. The six-year term was correct, and PuckPedia provides the full breakdown:
- 2021-22: $750K salary + $1.75MM signing bonus
- 2022-23: $2.5MM salary + $500K signing bonus
- 2023-24: $5.1MM salary
- 2024-25: $5.0MM salary
- 2025-26: $3.75MM salary
- 2026-27: $1.25MM salary + $1.25MM signing bonus
The deal will carry an average annual value of $3.64MM and includes a 15-team no-trade clause.
July 19: The New York Rangers traded a seventh-round pick for the opportunity to negotiate with Barclay Goodrow ahead of free agency, and it looks like it may result in a long-term contract. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that there has been significant progress between the two sides on a six-year contract that will carry an average annual value of around $3.6MM. Even if agreed to, the contract would have to wait until July 22 when the transaction freeze is lifted.
Goodrow, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning, has never scored more than eight goals in a single season and reached a career-high of 26 points in the 2019-20 campaign. Despite that lack of offensive success, the 28-year-old forward is still a valuable, versatile, bottom-six piece that the Rangers obviously believe can help them take the next step. Able to play center and the wing, Goodrow brings size, physicality and a penchant for showing up at the most important moments.
In 2019, before he even joined the Lightning, Goodrow finished one of the most remarkable comebacks in NHL history when he scored an overtime goal for the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks had been down 3-0 partway through the third period of game seven against the Vegas Golden Knights, but scored four times on a single powerplay to take the lead. After Jonathan Marchessault scored to send it to overtime in the dying seconds, it was Goodrow that would slice through the Vegas defense and end the game in overtime. He scored another game-winning tally this year against the Carolina Hurricanes, but it was a shot block late in the deciding 1-0 game five against the Montreal Canadiens that will be remembered most from this postseason run. Goodrow threw his body in front of a Shea Weber blast in the final minute of the game, leading to his coach Jon Cooper pointing to the play as one that “sums up the character” of the Lightning.
Many will rightfully question whether that kind of contribution is worth $3.6MM or a six-year contract. Long-term deals for bottom-six players have very rarely worked out in favor of the team that signs them, and this would certainly qualify as one of the more risky examples. Goodrow’s six goals and 20 points look fine as a depth option making $925K in Tampa Bay, but it’s hard to see how he’ll bring much excess value to New York.
The Rangers changed their entire front office and coaching staff this year, with some reports at the time indicating that it was a few embarrassing losses to the New York Islanders that confirmed the decision for owner James Dolan. If that’s true, then perhaps the team is attempting to follow the Islanders’ model of quality depth throughout the entire lineup—a philosophy indicated once again by the team’s protection of Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck this week. The Rangers also protected Kevin Rooney, himself a fourth-line option that brings size, versatility, and physicality to the bottom-six.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Thanks for everything Goody !!!
Bolts fans will really miss Goody and Yanni, with Blake likely to follow. One of the most effective third lines of any Cup champion, which enabled them to adapt any style of match. Thank you for the memories and two Lord Stanley Cup runs.
Agreed. The team that was 18 mil over the cap had a really good 3rd line.
Butt hurt much? The were zero over the cap.
Cmon man you know Goborok and Nillson really came up big during the season.
dang, six
I love the player and his game but that’s brutal.
Now send the Kraken a 4th this year and a third next year and get them to select then flip Nick Ritchie to the Rangers and you have your rebuilt fourth line of Goodrow/Rooney/Ritchie.
I’ll +1 that –
Too much, too long.
Nah, good deal. Need guys like this around and keeping the room upbeat even as he gets older. Goody got it
A reference I get
Well, how much will Buch demand now?
Always beware paying for ‘intangibles….’
Six years at $3.6 for THIS guy? Seriously? Dang.
Why…ugh.
It’s really not that bad. The cap will begin to rise again a couple years into the deal and Goodrow (28) isn’t gonna be slowing down before then. Rangers have the room and the need for this type of guy so I’m not gonna complain. In 4 years will it be not great? Maybe, but it’s like 3-4% of your cap and the Rangers aren’t shy of buyouts. I like the idea. This is the type of player we need if we want to survive let alone beat the likes of NYI, Caps, or Boston. We’re too soft and too finesse. Need some grit and winning experience. Enter Goodrow
They have tons of prospects that project to be much better that they won’t be able to resign because of deals like this. I’m already terrified of Drury being in charge. Dolan loves him, which is cause for concern alone. He loved Phil Jackson, Steve Mills, and Isaiah Thomas, too.
I get that but I’m more worried what they might be willing to give up for Eichel
We have no idea that the cap will rise, and it won’t rise by enough to make $3.6 deals for third- and fourth-liners worth making.
Exactly. Two $5M cap hits for a fourth line player who gets 10 minutes per game at best isn’t worth the impact it can have for others that need to be signed. He may be a great team player and locker room presence, but it won’t matter if you can sign your best players.
Idk man I’m 28 and I’m slowing down a bit lol
Yikes way too much for a player like him. Like his play but Jewish in the flat cap era Goodrow made out like a bandit
*jeesh not Jewish, man apple phones are total trash… nice autocorrect makes way more sense that way..thanks apple.
I would just like to point out that the Rangers are saying and doing a lot of the same things the Canucks did a few years ago when they had a good, young core looking to take the next step, and look what overpaying for ‘grit, toughness, and winning experience’ got them…. Again I say, beware paying for ‘intangibles….’
I am not crazy about 6 years, but if there is no NMC or NTC or at least one that expires after year 4 I can live with it for what he brings.
Well if he got this what is coleman getting. He is a better player. Teams keep paying their third line players too much.
Six years for a guy who has a career high 26 points and “broke out” at 27? Can’t see this being a problem contract at all.
A very Sather-like signing.
I’m still amazed that the Rangers are protecting Rooney and leaving Colin Blackwell exposed. That in my opinion is a really dumb move.
Blackwell is more replaceable;e, Rooney plays Center and Wing. They are probably taking Gauthier anyway.
Goodrow should send thank you notes to Gourde and Coleman.
Goodrow is a good player and all, but he’s not elite like the other two. Getting paid like it, though.
Coleman probably gets closer to $5M a year.
He doesn’t have the point totals as the other two,but he was very good at puck retrieval and cycling the puck.All 3 were key in the PK and Goody was also a 50% face off guy.Not great,but gives him that flexibility as a winger.Yes,I may have bias because of me being partial towards Goodrow,but Gourde was one of my fave Bolts and Coleman had a knack for big goals,so was high on my list as well.I guess I just feel like Goody doesn’t have to apologize or thank anyone for his success and contract.