Sharks Reunite with Veteran Forward on Waiver Claim from Rangers
“The future is teal” has become the San Jose Sharks’ mantra since they clinched the 2024 Draft Lottery in May. To nurture this promising future — which includes 2023 fourth-overall pick Will Smith and the anticipated 2024 No. 1 selection Macklin Celebrini, along with other young talents like William Eklund — the Sharks have sought guidance from their past by claiming Barclay Goodrow off waivers from the New York Rangers.
Barclay Goodrow, 31, had a notable resurgence during the Rangers’ Eastern Conference Finals run, scoring six goals in 16 games, despite a difficult regular season where he was relegated to the fourth line and netted just four goals in 80 games.
To further bolster their roster, the Sharks also acquired Ty Dellandrea from the Dallas Stars. This strategic move aims to blend experienced players with the team’s emerging young stars. Sharks General Manager Mike Grier emphasized the need for veteran presence to help ease the transition to the NHL for the young players, especially for Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the latter having just signed an entry-level contract with San Jose.
In exchange for Dellandrea, the Sharks traded a 2025 fourth-round pick originally acquired from Winnipeg. They were also willing to absorb Goodrow’s contract from the Rangers, who had placed him on waivers.
Goodrow brings a wealth of experience and success. He was a key depth center during San Jose’s Western Conference Finals journey in 2019, famously scoring the overtime goal in Game 7 of the first round against Vegas. His contributions were also pivotal to Tampa Bay’s consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021, and he helped New York reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the past two seasons. Over his career, the Toronto native has amassed 169 points in 572 regular-season games and an additional 24 points in 97 playoff games since debuting in 2014.
The acquisition of Goodrow helps the Rangers save $3.6 million against the salary cap annually for the next three seasons, providing them with financial flexibility as they aim to retool their roster following a close miss for the Stanley Cup Final.
Ty Dellandrea, 23, also adds valuable depth to the Sharks. In the recent season, he played 42 games for Dallas, tallying two goals and seven assists. He was ranked sixth among the team’s forwards for hits and fifth for penalty kill time. Dellandrea managed one goal in six playoff games for Dallas. Although picked 13th overall by the Stars in 2018, his offensive output in Dallas was modest, with 14 goals and 28 assists in 151 career NHL games and four goals in 24 playoff games. Dellandrea is set to be a restricted free agent in July, but the Sharks will hold his arbitration rights.
In another significant move, the New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames, in exchange for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a top-10-protected first-round draft pick in 2025. The Flames will retain 31.25% of Markstrom’s salary. Markstrom waived his no-trade clause to enable the deal, with two seasons remaining at $6 million per year on his contract.
Markstrom had been on the Devils’ radar since the March trade deadline, but negotiations with Calgary were delayed. Reports indicated Markstrom’s discontent with the Flames, making him open to a trade earlier. He joins New Jersey following a season with a 23-23-2 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.78 goals-against average.
In New Jersey, Markstrom is expected to share goaltending duties with veteran Jake Allen, whom the Devils acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in March after trading their former No. 1 goalie, Vitek Vanecek, to the San Jose Sharks. Allen stepped up as the Devils’ starter towards the end of the regular season, though New Jersey missed the playoffs. They also had goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen in the mix, another piece from the Vanecek trade to the Sharks. Kahkonen will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
This marks the Devils’ first major personnel move since hiring coach Sheldon Keefe on May 23. The team’s goaltending issues over the past two seasons were a significant concern, and the acquisition of Markstrom, alongside Allen, is anticipated to provide the stability needed for New Jersey to become a consistent playoff contender.
With Markstrom’s departure, the Flames are expected to rely on Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf as their goaltending tandem. Wolf, a seventh-round pick in 2019, is being groomed for a full-time role, having played 17 games last season with a .893 save percentage. Vladar, backing up Markstrom, posted an 8-9-2 record with an .882 save percentage last season.
