Barclay Goodrow has divided Rangers fans since his signing. It’s fair to say the contract is too much for Goodrow’s expected role with the team. It’s also fair to say that some of the criticism directed at Goodrow is overblown. The reality is that Goodrow was brought in to stabilize the bottom six and give the Rangers another strong leader in the locker room. Yet he’s set career highs on offense the last two seasons, although mostly because he’s playing out of his role.

No matter how you feel about Goodrow, you can’t ignore his offensive output the last two seasons. Last season he put up 11-20-31, a year after putting up 13-20-33. The 2021-2022 season set his career highs, and last season he essentially matched it. Unfortunately, those are the only highlights of his on-ice performance.

Goodrow was brought in to stabilize the bottom six, but unfortunately none of his defensive metrics make this a shrewd signing. His offensive output can’t be ignored, but neither can his numbers for the role he was actually signed to play. His intangibles, like his leadership, are talking points for many, including myself. I’ve been vocal that Gerard Gallant knew what he was doing with Goodrow’s surprise return to the lineup in the 2022 playoffs. But to hear only Jacob Trouba was vocal in the locker room was disappointing in regards to Goodrow.

Another item is just how far Goodrow’s two-way play has slipped since coming to the Rangers. When the Rangers acquired him, Goodrow was coming off a season with a 55% shot share and a 57% expected-goals share. Tampa was a beast, but Goodrow played his role to perfection. With the Rangers the last two seasons, he has not eclipsed 46% in either stat.

This may be a product of spending far too much time in the top-six, something he’s simply not cut out for. It may also be a product of the poor depth on the Rangers. So Goodrow may have been caught between a rock and a hard place. Either be out of place with Artemi Panarin, or play with AAAA players on the bottom six until the trade deadline.

Still, Goodrow was brought in to fill a leadership role and stabilize the bottom six. That’s what he’s graded on. It’s tough to grade on subjective topics like leadership, and the diminishing returns on Goodrow’s three zone play are offset a bit by his offensive output.

Grade: B-

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