The first buyout window of the 2024 NHL Offseason will open 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final is over. Because of this, in a recent article, Frank Seravalli listed the NHL's top nine buyout candidates for this summer.
Interestingly, a former Tampa Bay Lightning forward made Seravalli's list - Barclay Goodrow of the New York Rangers.
Seravalli argued that with the Rangers having limited cap space, Goodrow's $3.6 million cap hit is far too expensive for his fourth-line role. He also noted that buying out Goodrow during the first buyout window would "not only not have a penalty, but a unique salary cap credit of $247,222 next season." As a result, the Rangers would save a nice chunk of change for the 2024-25 campaign by ridding of his deal.
Goodrow, 31, noticeably struggled during the regular season, posting four goals, eight assists, and a minus-13 rating in 80 games. He did, however, turn things around big time during the playoffs, recording six goals and eight points in 16 games.
Ultimately, this will be a rather intriguing storyline to follow this summer. While Goodrow is a nice part of the Rangers' depth because of his chippy style of play and leadership, his contract is quite expensive. It is why he also has come up as a potential trade candidate.
We will need to wait and see what the Rangers decide to do with Goodrow this summer. If the Rangers end up buying him out, perhaps the Lightning could try to bring him back.
