Feb. 24 will mark the one-year anniversary of the trade deadline deal that brought Barclay Goodrow to the Tampa Bay Lightning. General manager Julien BriseBois dealt Anthony Greco and a 2020 first-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Goodrow and a 2020 third-round pick.
The trade came as a surprise, as the Lightning had acquired Blake Coleman just eight days earlier in a blockbuster trade. The Goodrow trade got mixed reviews. Critics claimed that the Lightning overpaid, while many in San Jose’s camp were left feeling like the Lightning got a bargain. So, how did it all pan out for the Lightning?
Filling the Physicality Void
At the 2019-20 season trade deadline, the Lightning’s biggest need was a player that could bring a physical presence to their game. The absence of that physicality is in large part why the Lightning failed to meet expectations during their 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs run. To fill the void, BriseBois brought in a pair of two-way forwards, Coleman and Goodrow. When speaking about Goodrow after the trade, BriseBois said,
“Barclay is the big center. We needed a big, physical center, and he brings that…He has the size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds), he also has the physicality, and he plays with an edge. Because of injuries in San Jose, he was asked to play a bigger role with more skilled players, and he’s handled that well. He’s been matched up against some really good players and handled it really well…I think he’s somewhat of an underrated player, a player that’s now hitting his stride and coming into his peak of play.”
Goodrow has been everything the Lightning could have hoped for and more, creating scoring opportunities while remaining defensively responsible. He has played a large role when the Lightning playing down a man, too. With Goodrow and Coleman on the primary penalty kill line, the Lightning allowed just one power-play goal in six games against the Dallas Stars during the Stanley Cup Final.
Goodrow was a key member of the Lightning’s hard-hitting third line during their 2020 Stanley Cup run, a line that included Coleman and Yanni Gourde. Their line was tenacious, known for creating goal-scoring opportunities and giving the Lightning an energy boost every shift. During the 2019-20 season, Goodrow played in just eight regular-season games but played in 25 postseason games. He finished the playoffs with 6 points and 103 hits.
Big Play Barclay
Although Goodrow has predominantly played as a bottom-six forward during his career, he has always had a knack for making big plays at the right time. One of his most memorable plays for the Lightning came during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. In overtime, Goodrow got in deep behind the New York Islanders’ net before he dished it to Cirelli who scored the series-clinching goal, sending the Lightning to the Cup Final.
That is not Goodrow’s only memorable playoff moment. Prior to joining the Lightning, he won Sharks fans over when he scored an overtime goal in Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights. His goal capped off a dramatic comeback that saw the Sharks erase a three-goal deficit to extend the game to overtime.
Goodrow is off to a solid start to the 2020-21 season. He has three goals and four assists in 16 games this season, as well as 27 hits and 11 blocked shots.
Goodrow Trade Paid Off
Although giving away a first-round draft pick for Goodrow seemed like a large price to pay at the time, the trade has been worth the cost. He has given the Lightning the physical edge they desperately needed, while also contributing goal-scoring opportunities on the offensive side of the puck. It is too early to tell how the prospects from the 2020 draft picks that were exchanged will pan out, but the Lightning should have no regrets from this trade. Goodrow’s ability to play on both ends of the ice gave Tampa the extra something they needed to win the greatest trophy in sports, the Stanley Cup.