Rangers place Barclay Goodrow on waivers in cap-saving move

New York Rangers centre Barclay Goodrow (21) and Pittsburgh Penguins centre Evan Rodrigues (9) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game.(John Minchillo/AP)

The New York Rangers have placed veteran forward Barclay Goodrow on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The move is seen as an attempt by the team to free up some cap space. Placing the 31-year-old on waivers could see another club take Goodrow off the Rangers’ hands, while not requiring New York to offer anything in return. A native of Aurora, Ont., Goodrow has three years remaining on his deal, which carries an annual average of $3,641,667. The Rangers would clear that amount off their cap if another team claims him.

Buying Goodrow out — which cannot happen until 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final ends — will cost the team $6,666,667, with a savings of $3,333,333, but will double the duration of the contract to six seasons, according to CapFriendly.com. The Rangers would gain a $247,222 cap credit for next season if they opt to buy him out, followed by a cap hit of $1,002,778 in 2025-26. That hit would rise to $3,502,778 in 2026-27, before dropping back to $1,111,111 for the final three seasons, according to CapFriendly.

The left-shooting forward has 60 goals and 169 points in 572 NHL regular-season games, but it’s his playoff performances that are his calling card. Goodrow has 97 games of playoff experience, collecting 24 points, with San Jose, Tampa Bay, and New York. He won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Lightning, in 2020 and 2021.

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