Lightning lose Barclay Goodrow in trade with New York Rangers - Tampa Bay Times

https://ift.tt/2VWImBB

TAMPA —The Jeep officially is moving on.

On Saturday afternoon, as teams worked to finalize their protection lists in advance of Wednesday’s expansion draft, the Lightning traded forward Barclay Goodrow’s rights to the New York Rangers for a seventh-round pick in next year’s draft.

Goodrow, acquired near the trade deadline last season, was a key piece to the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams, teaming with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman to form the Lightning’s gritty third line that was arguably the club’s most consistent throughout the postseason and started most of the playoff games this year.

Goodrow was also a part of the Lightning’s top penalty-kill unit and was often on the ice when preserving a lead in 6-on-5 play. Lightning coach Jon Cooper affectionately compared Goodrow to a Jeep during the Lightning’s first-round playoff win over Florida, praising Goodrow’s blue-collar style by saying title teams can’t be a fleet of Ferraris — you need the dependable 4-by-4 to get you through the mud.

Goodrow was already a pending unrestricted free agent, and after playing last season at a bargain salary of $925,000, he is in line for a significant multi-year deal, so the Lightning were almost certainly going to have to part ways. Earlier this week, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said Goodrow was one of the players on the team who deserved a raise, but he wasn’t sure he would be able to give it to him as the Lightning search for ways to get under the $81.5 million flat cap.

The Rangers will have exclusive negotiating rights with Goodrow until he hits the open market when free agency opens July 28.

The Lightning said Barclay Goodrow was one of their players due a pay raise, but the cap was going to make that problematic if he had stayed with the team. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Because Goodrow is an unrestricted free agent, he did not fall into the category of players who would be exposed in the Seattle expansion draft. Evolving Hockey projects Goodrow to receive a three-year deal with an average annual value of $3.15 million in free agency.

Goodrow played in 55 games for the Lightning this year and was one of the team’s most physical players, leading Tampa Bay with 111 hits during the regular season. He also scored six goals with 14 assists.

He tallied two goals and four assists in the postseason, including the game-winner in the Lightning’s second-round opener at Carolina. Cooper said that Goodrow’s block on Shea Weber’s shot — clocked at 101.6 mph in the Lightning’s Cup-clinching Game 5 win over Montreal — was emblematic of the physical sacrifice players exhibited on their way to a second straight title.

Goodrow skated off in pain after that play, but returned for his next shift. BriseBois revealed Tuesday that Goodrow was playing with a broken hand in the postseason.

The Lightning on Saturday also signed defenseman Fredrik Claesson, who has appeared in 161 career NHL games over six seasons, to a one-year, two-way contract. He could have been a free agent. No financial terms were available. He played two games with Tampa Bay after coming from San Jose in a trade April 12.

• • •

The Tampa Bay Times will commemorate the Lightning’s second consecutive Stanley Cup title with a new hardcover coffee table book, Striking Twice. Pre-order now.

Sign up for Lightning Strikes, a weekly newsletter from Bolts beat writer Eduardo A. Encina that brings you closer to the ice.

Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.

Adblock test (Why?)

"lose" - Google News
July 18, 2021 at 03:52AM
https://ift.tt/3hLXyMy

Lightning lose Barclay Goodrow in trade with New York Rangers - Tampa Bay Times
"lose" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3fa3ADu https://ift.tt/2VWImBB

Bagikan Berita Ini