As the final captain in Brampton Battalion history Barclay
Goodrow knows the team has an obligation to finish its final season in Brampton
as strongly as possible.
Right winger Goodrow, 19, said recently that while the
club’s move to North Bay to begin play in 2013-14 is exciting, the Troops still
have some unfinished business in Brampton.
“We owe it to the fans here to finish as hard as we can.
They have been great to us and as part of the leadership group here we are
trying to keep the guys focused on this season. Next season will be a good
experience once it gets here.”
Goodrow said the rumours swirling around during the early
months of the season regarding the Battalion’s future home were never a
distraction for the players.
“I don’t think it affected the guys too much. We knew we
were going to be in Brampton for the rest of the season and that’s all we could
control. When the news did come out it was sad, but we were relieved that we
knew where we would be going next season.
“When you go to a team you assume you are going to be there
until you are finished or get traded, but when the team picks up and moves to
another city it’s a little weird. You learn that you never know what’s going to
happen in this game. But the guys who are going will all have each other, that
will make things easier. We’ll be in it together.”
Since the move was announced in November the Battalion has
seen impressive support from North Bay fans during three road games against the
Sudbury Wolves and the Troops drew several hundred people to a practice held on
Jan. 5 at their future home, the North Bay Memorial Gardens, which is to
undergo extensive renovations in advance of next season.
“We have seen the hype around our team from the North Bay
fans when we have been in Sudbury,” said Goodrow. “We had hundreds of people to watch us
practice in North Bay and that shows the passion the people have there for
hockey.
“When we are winning up there things will be great, but if
we are losing then they’ll be on our backs. It will be different. Here we have
a good core of loyal fans, but the numbers just aren’t there. There will be
loyal fans in North Bay too, it’s just that there will be more of them. People
will know us everywhere we go, it will be a big change from here, but it’s
something we will all appreciate and enjoy.”
A first-round pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection,
Goodrow is one of five players on the current roster eligible to come back as
an overager, joining defenceman Zach Bell, centre Nicholas Foglia, right winger
Matt MacLeod and goaltender Matej Machovsky.
“I would want to move on, but I think I will be back,” said
Goodrow, who has yet to be selected in the National Hockey League Draft. “It’s
a fresh start for everyone. North Bay will be a great place to play. The rink
will still have that old-time feel, but I think the renovations will be great.
It may involve more travel and may be a little colder, but it doesn’t matter
where we are living, we are a hockey team and we need to focus on playing.”
Goodrow, a resident of Aurora, Ont., joined the Battalion in
2009-10, a season after the club had advanced to the OHL Championship Series.
The Battalion’s offence had been decimated by graduation but the team still
featured a formidable back end anchored by veteran goaltender Patrick Killeen.
Goodrow scored six goals and added 13 assists for 19 points
in 63 games and he produced four points, including one goal, in 11 playoff
games. The Battalion ousted the Kingston Frontenacs in seven games in an
Eastern Conference quarterfinal series before being swept in the second round
by the Barrie Colts.
“We weren’t expected to do much that season. We had a young
group of forwards, but a really deep, veteran defence corps and great goalie.
We made it to the second round where we ran into a tough Barrie team that ended
up playing in the final. But I learned a lot that season playing with guys like
Cody Hodgson and Matt Clark. They taught me a lot and showed me what it takes
to get to the next level.”
Goodrow contributed a team-leading 24 goals and added 15
assists for 39 points in 65 games in 2010-11, but admitted it wasn’t his best
season. He failed to record a point in four playoff games as the Battalion was
swept in the first round by the Niagara IceDogs.
“That was a tough season for me. I didn’t play my best hockey
and it may have affected me going into the draft. It was a big learning experience
and made me stronger for the next season.”
After earning a trip to summer development and prospect
camps of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, Goodrow finished second in team scoring
behind Sam Carrick, contributing 26 goals and 26 assists for 52 points in 60
games.
Battalion head coach Stan Butler selected Goodrow to succeed
Carrick as captain and Goodrow said he has learned a lot playing under Carrick
and other former captains Hodgson and Stephon Thorne.
“Cody was a great leader and a great player. He always gave
me bits of advice. Thorne would do anything for the team, whether it was
blocking a shot or fighting anybody. Carrick led by example every shift and
every game. He had a breakout season and is now in the pros. I have taken a bit
from all those guys and hope I have done a good job following them.”
Goodrow’s offensive prowess continued into this season where
he is leading the team in scoring and has been among the top points earners
despite losing six games to a shoulder injury. Goodrow, who recently became the 13th
player in club history to score 30 goals in a season, is in the club’s all-time
top 10 in points, goals, power-play goals, game-winning goals, shorthanded
goals and games played.
“Coming into this season I was just trying to use all I have
learned over the past three seasons and remember to do some to the things that
got me here in the first place. I had some frustrating times when I wasn’t
contributing as much as I thought I should. But as captain I have been focusing
on the team and my personal success has come along with that. I’d just like to
keep that up and hopefully we can continue to have success as a team.”
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