Goodrow's mentality has enabled him to become a vital member in the Rangers' lineup and earn the respect of coaches and players alike. Regardless of where Goodrow is placed in the lineup, he can impact the game in several ways.
He is, in short, the definition of a "glue" guy - someone who will make the necessary sacrifices to win and helps bring the team together.
"Every time Goodrow plays with somebody, he makes that line look good," Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said following the Rangers' win against the Islanders last week. In that game, Gallant moved Goodrow from the first line with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad to the fourth line with Jonny Brodzinski and Julien Gauthier. Gallant called the Goodrow-Brodzinski-Gauthier unit "our best line (in the game)."
"Goodrow gives everything he has every game," Gauthier said recently. "He's a good two-way player, he's safe in his own zone, and he makes good plays in the offensive zone. He's just fun to play with."
Goodrow leads by example, but his leadership is evident in additional ways as well, such as giving encouragement to Kaapo Kakko following Kakko's turnover against the Islanders last week that led to a goal; Kakko ultimately rebounded to score the game-winning goal.
Although Goodrow has played with numerous linemates and in several roles through the start of the season, he has consistently found ways to contribute. Entering Thursday's game against the Lightning, he leads the Rangers in goals at 5-on-5 this season with eight, and his 15 points at 5-on-5 this season are the third-most on the team, behind only Artemi Panarin (22) and Adam Fox (20).
While his offensive contributions to the box score are noteworthy, his impact on the Rangers extends far beyond that. Besides his willingness and ability to play in any role, Goodrow's impact was felt in last year's playoffs, when after suffering a foot injury in Game 1 of the First Round against Pittsburgh, he returned earlier than expected and gutted his way through eight more playoff games (Game 6 and Game 7 of the Second Round against Carolina and all six games of the Eastern Conference Final against Tampa Bay).
Examples like this are why Goodrow was named one of the team's alternate captains prior to the start of last season, before he played a game for the Rangers. It's why he was a co-winner of the Players' Player Award - given annually to the Ranger who, as selected by his teammates, "best exemplifies what it means to be a team player" - in his first season with the team.
And it's why the Rangers sought to bring Goodrow to the team in the summer of 2021 after he had just won his second consecutive Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning.
In the minutes after Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2021, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was asked what his final thought or memory of the season was. Cooper responded by saying, "the memory that jumps out into my head right now that probably exemplified our team was Barclay Goodrow's block on Shea Weber's shot." In another interview during that playoff run, Cooper said the following about Goodrow: "You can't have all Ferraris, sometimes you need a good old-fashioned four-wheel drive Jeep to get you through the mud and that's what Barclay Goodrow can do for you."
The Rangers are fortunate to have Goodrow do what he does, night in and night out. Whether he's on the first line or fourth line, playing at wing or at center, he is the glue.
