GOOD NEWS: Rangers found their Barclay Goodrow replacement in NHL free agency

Have the Rangers Found Their Barclay Goodrow Replacement in NHL Free Agency?

After Barclay Goodrow was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks, the New York Rangers had a vacancy in the center of their fourth line. It appears they may have addressed this gap by signing Sam Carrick in NHL free agency on Monday.

According to The Fourth Period, Carrick’s deal is a three-year contract with an average annual value of $1 million. This is a cost-effective move compared to Goodrow’s $3.6 million annual salary, which would have spanned the next three seasons.

Carrick brings 240 games of NHL experience, having played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, and Edmonton Oilers. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 53 points and 316 penalty minutes, achieving career highs in goals (11) and points (19) with the Ducks in the 2021-22 season.

“He brings a hard element to our group,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury commented. “Our scouts have had their eye on him for a while. He’s a natural center that adds edge, grit, and toughness to our bottom six.”

At 32 years old, Carrick is 6-feet tall and weighs 200 pounds. He was traded from the Ducks to the Oilers before the 2024 NHL trade deadline and played in 10 postseason games this spring, although he did not participate in the Stanley Cup Final, where the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games.

In the 2023-24 season, Carrick scored 10 goals and totaled 16 points in 77 games with the Ducks and Oilers.

Rangers’ Options to Replace Barclay Goodrow

Carrick is now the leading candidate to center the fourth line. However, the Rangers have other options:

• Jonny Brodzinski: Having signed a two-year contract extension last season, Brodzinski is a top internal candidate to compete with Carrick for playing time. Coach Peter Laviolette values Brodzinski’s speed and two-way play. He could still secure a fourth-line role or serve as the 13th forward. Last season, Brodzinski scored six goals and had 19 points in 57 games with the Rangers after starting with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, where he was captain.
• Jake Leschyshyn: With NHL experience from playing with the Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights, Leschyshyn is another option for the fourth-line center position. He spent the entire past season in Hartford.
• Adam Sykora: Although more of a future prospect, the 19-year-old who played in Hartford last season could be considered in training camp.

In addition to Carrick, the Rangers also added forward Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for two draft picks.