Barclay Goodrow Claimed Off Waivers By San Jose Sharks

Barclay Goodrow Claimed Off Waivers By San Jose Sharks

A lot has changed for Barclay Goodrow since he left the San Jose Sharks in January 2020. The trade that sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning was initially criticized as a heavy overpay. Then, Goodrow emerged as a key link on the shutdown third line that pushed the Bolts to back-to-back Stanley Cups. He parlayed that into a big contract with the New York Rangers and was a playoff folk hero again this spring. This time it came on the offensive side of the puck, with Goodrow scoring more goals in 16 playoff games (six) than in 80 regular season games (four).

But that contract was proving too onerous for the cap-strapped Rangers. So, general manager Chris Drury placed Goodrow on waivers, the first step toward a potential buyout. But the Rangers won’t have to worry about that anymore. The Sharks welcomed Goodrow back on Wednesday, claiming the forward off waivers. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported the move’s possibility on Tuesday. Chris Johnston broke that it was indeed happening.

The #SJSharks have claimed Barclay Goodrow off waivers from #NYR, bringing the veteran forward back to the place he started his NHL career.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 19, 2024

Goodrow first earned his legendary playoff status with the Sharks. The undrafted winger made his NHL debut in 2014-15. After playing 60 games that season, he dressed for just 17 NHL contests over the next two seasons before re-emerging in 2017-18. The next year, he scored the overtime winner in the Sharks’ iconic first-round Game 7 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, a game in which the Sharks trailed 3-0 deep into the third period before a controversial five-minute major on Cody Eakin opened the door for magic.

Goodrow was quite productive in his first two seasons with the Blueshirts, breaking the 30-point mark each season, something he had never done before. However, his offense dried up this season and he struggled to keep up at 5-on-5. Even in the playoffs, his 33.91% expected goals mark was the worst for any Ranger (min. four games). A 40% shooting mark covered that up. But expecting it to continue would be foolish.

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The Sharks are on the hook for the remainder of Goodrow’s contract, which carries roughly a $3.64 cap hit and 15-team no-trade clause, through 2027. It’s certainly a feel-good move for a Sharks team that has been in the trenches the last few years and figures to be going forward. Maybe the 31-year-old can bounce back to old form in familiar surroundings. But taking on his contract for nothing should make Drury happy as the Rangers enter a difficult offseason.

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Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick. Contract information via CapFriendly.