With the surprising waivers excitement yesterday, we never got a chance to get a properly timed Barclay Goodrow report card published. Sticking with our goal of publishing report cards this month for players that may not be with the Rangers come July 1, we can still salvage a Goodrow report card, if only a few days late.
Much like with Kaapo Kakko’s report card, we need to remember role when grading players. We can’t have everyone graded on the same scale as Artemi Panarin, the same we can’t have everyone graded on the same scale as Mika Zibanejad. Role and usage matter, especially in a more structured system with Peter Laviolette.
Goodrow, for the first time in his Rangers tenure, was finally put in a bottom six role and not moved from that spot, save for a game or two here and there. Unlike the last two seasons where Goodrow spent way too much time in the top six, setting career highs offensively, Goodrow was paired with Jimmy Vesey for most of the season (646 minutes).
Vesey’s splits without Goodrow are a stark reminder how much of a possession hole Goodrow created. Contract aside, it was clear Goodrow was fighting it for most of the regular season. Vesey’s shot share, xG share, and HD chance share all declined by 40% with Goodrow. Since Zibanejad was getting most of the shutdown minutes in the regular season, there’s no quality of competition argument here. Goodrow had a rough regular season. His 4-8-12 line was his worst statistical season on record as well.
I don’t think many would argue that Goodrow had a rough regular season. The above simply drives this point home. He was bad in almost every facet of the game.
But in true Goodrow form, he woke up for the playoffs. A 40% shooting rate certainly helped things and certainly skews some aspects of the analysis, but you can’t ignore it either. Goodrow was 4th on the Rangers in goals (6) and tied for 7th in points (8). Make any argument you want about the top-six/top-nine, Goodrow showed up for the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the other 82 games matter. Goodrow was simply not good this season. He had one hell of a send off in the playoffs with his 6-2-8 in 16 games, and his overtime winner will be a fun highlight for years to come.
Remember, we are grading the player within the role, not the contract. He wasn’t good, but his playoff performance bumps him up a half a grade.
Grade: C-.
