Goodrow ‘Didn’t Like’ How His New York Departure Was Handled, Excited To Play Rangers on Thursday

NEW YORK — It’s not just any game for Barclay Goodrow.

The San Jose Sharks will play the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. It will be Goodrow’s first appearance at MSG since he was unceremoniously dumped by the Rangers this past summer.

“I didn’t like how things were handled,” Goodrow shared after practice at Chelsea Piers on Wednesday.

In the summer of 2021, the two-time Stanley Cup winner signed a six-year, $21.85 million contract with the Rangers. He was expected to provide leadership and strong two-play for contending New York, and despite his production dropping in 2023-24, he more than did his part, helping the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 and 2024.

But that wasn’t enough to keep GM Chris Drury from waiving Goodrow in June. The rebuilding Sharks swooped in, claiming the versatile center-winger.

San Jose was actually on Goodrow’s 15-Team No-Trade List, not a reflection of his feelings about the city or organization that he grew up under, but likely more their competitive situation. The Sharks have missed the playoffs in every year since they traded Goodrow to Tampa Bay in Feb. 2020. Meanwhile, Goodrow has appeared in five of the last six Conference Finals.

So Goodrow, naturally, might have been miffed that Drury circumvented his No-Trade List by waiving him. However, if he’s mad that San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier claimed him, Goodrow hasn’t showed it yet.

“It was kind of just unexpected, personally, for how it ended. But we’re past that, and I’m a Shark and happy to be here,” the Sharks’ alternate captain said. “Here, there’s very young players, a lot of high-end talent and just potential that is there. It’s been fun.”

One of those youngsters, Macklin Celebrini, is hoping to get Goodrow a goal on Thursday.

“I hope so,” Celebrini laughed.

Goodrow, two goals through 17 games this season, has been promoted to the top line, he and Tyler Toffoli centering Celebrini.

It’s been a little bit of a revolving door for that plum spot next to Celebrini and Toffoli. In the 2024 first-overall pick’s five NHL games, he’s seen William Eklund and Mikael Granlund — now both anchoring a buzzing second line — and Ty Dellandrea riding shotgun.

“Barclay’s been really good for us here, really consistent,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said, “we want someone that can retrieve pucks, win battles. Obviously a bigger body, can win pucks down low and create some space for those other guys.”

So for a number of reasons, it’s not just any game for Goodrow, who also moonlighted on the top line with some success for the Rangers when Gerard Gallant was head coach.

“It’s exciting. Especially it being MSG. That’s always a trip that’s circled on the calendar,” Goodrow admitted. “Obviously, a little more meaning to it this time around, so I’ve been looking forward to it and excited to get back.”

Since his first interview at San Jose Sharks training camp, Barclay Goodrow has seemingly wanted to turn the page on the Rangers, and there’s no doubt a game early in the season at MSG will help to do that.

“I still have a lot of close friends on that team. I have a lot of good memories. Couple of long playoff runs. I loved my time there,” he said. “That’s just how it went down. I didn’t like how it happened, but we’re all past that. It was a while ago. You have to move on. It comes with the territory of this job. There’s nothing you can do but put your head down and keep working.”