Alberga’s Take: The Leafs should target Barclay Goodrow if the Rangers buy him out

Assuming the New York Rangers buy him out over the coming days, Barclay Goodrow should definitively be a player of interest for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the coming weeks.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Rangers placed the veteran forward on waivers in a move seen as an attempt by the team to free up some much-needed cap space.

Goodrow, 31, has three years left on his six-year deal worth $3.641,667 million per season. Barring something foreseen, it seems likely at this point that New York will end up buying him out, a move that can’t happen until 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final concludes.

Bringing in Goodrow – an Aurora native – on a team-friendly deal would make a lot of sense for Brad Treliving and company. Not only does he suit Craig Berube’s playing style, but most importantly, he possesses a wealth of experience, too. The pesky forward played a prolific depth role for the Tampa Bay Lightning en route to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. Goodrow’s biggest selling point could be his versatility. He can kill penalties and he can play all three forward positions. Don’t let the past three years deceive you, this guy’s a gamer, and a change of scenery could ultimately do wonders for his confidence.

Furthermore, while it’s no secret that Goodrow failed to live up to expectation on Broadway, there’s no question that he still has plenty of game left in the tank. In fact, he potted six goals in 16 postseason outings this spring —proving once again that he’s fully capable of making a difference when it matters the most.

From a cap perspective, Goodrow wouldn’t cost a lot if he were to become a free agent —mainly because he would be collecting two paychecks. As is the case with most bought-out players, the expectation is that he would sign a low-value deal with his next team. He needs to rebuild his value after an abysmal time in New York.

For a team like Toronto who’s constantly trying to save every penny they can, that’s exactly the type of player that they should be targeting to shore up their roster. In the long run, Goodrow could prove to be a big-time bargain buy this summer.

Any way you slice it, the Leafs need more bottom-six depth. Indisputably, Goodrow would be an upgrade over the likes of Noah Gregor, Connor Dewar, and Ryan Reaves, among others.