Former Brampton Battalion and the first-ever North Bay Battalion captain, Barclay Goodrow, is on a mission for a third Stanley Cup ring with the New York Rangers
Barclay Goodrow followed up his Game 2 overtime-winner with a two-goal Game 3 performance for the New York Rangers in their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against Florida. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, Goodrow’s path to becoming a ‘playoff performer’ started in Brampton in the OHL.
Barclay was highly sought out, having been selected by the Brampton Battalions 17th overall in the first round of the 2009 OHL Priority selection. According to eliteprospects.com, he scored 67 goals and 114 points for the York Simcoe Express U16 AAA in his OHL draft year. He jumped into the OHL immediately the following season playing 63 games and recording 19 points.
Though Goodrow was a talented kid coming up in Ontario, he had to grind and make his hay during his OHL playing days, as his skill didn’t immediately translate to him becoming an offensive weapon. He learned how to play the right way under the legendary Stan Butler. Barclay turned himself into a reliable 200ft centerman who would make defenders panic through his aggressive puck pursuit on the forecheck.
He played five seasons, four of them with the Brampton Battalion organization. He became the captain of the Battalion for the 2012-13 season, which was their final year in Brampton before the team moved to North Bay for the 2013-14 season. He returned to North Bay for his final season as the team's first-ever captain in their new location.
In their inaugural season, led by current NHLers Goodrow, Nick Paul, and Michael Amadio, the team went all the way to the OHL Finals but lost in five games to the Guelph Storm. Goodrow led his team in goals and points in the regular season and playoffs. The San Jose Sharks’ scouting staff took notice of his play that season and signed him to an entry-level contract.
As he did in his OHL career, Goodrow persevered and worked his tail off to become a full-time NHL player. In 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning gave up a first-round pick to bring him in for their playoff run. His two Stanley Cup wins with the Lightning put him on the map as a depth player where teams and fans were saying, those are the type of role players that help you win championships.
He's proven to the entire hockey world that he is the kind of player that steps up in the playoffs and elevates his game to another level. Teams need players willing to do whatever it takes to win when games get tighter and tougher. Players who can thrive in a non-glamouring role like a bottom six checking forward. That’s who Barclay is. He understands what his role is.
He knows he isn’t a go-to guy to create offense and score goals. However, he’s coming up with clutch goals for the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Goodrow scored only four goals in 80 games in the regular season this year. He's now up to six goals in the playoffs.
Goodrow has four goals in his last four games. And after going most of this season as someone Rangers fans were eyeing as a potential buyout out of his contract in the summer, he now has the passionate fans of New York apologizing and praising him for his tremendous play in these NHL Playoffs. Fun fact, Goodrow has scored the most goals in both Conference Finals with three.
Just like Battalion alumni Justin Brazeau, who we talked about earlier this month, and his perseverance in carving his path to the NHL. Goodrow has done the exact same thing.
He’s another example for all players who may have been passed upon in the draft, OHL or NHL, to never give up and to always believe in yourself. If you work hard and put the time and effort into getting better, as Barclay did throughout his OHL career, eventually you will get noticed Then you can take advantage of the opportunity and become an impact player just like Barclay Goodrow.