New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider didn't anticipate Barclay Goodrow's departure from the Big Apple earlier this summer.
"It's difficult to articulate," he said Thursday, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "That's the awful side of our business, I guess: That it is a business. ... It's a friend for life, but it's a guy you expected to be suiting up with again."
The Rangers placed Goodrow on waivers in mid-June, and he was subsequently scooped up by the San Jose Sharks, freeing New York from the remainder of his contract. The veteran forward is signed for three more seasons with a cap hit of around $3.64 million.
New York has since dished out a two-year, $4.4-million pact for restricted free-agent defenseman Braden Schneider, and it still needs to iron out a new extension for rearguard Ryan Lindgren. Star netminder Igor Shesterkin, meanwhile, has been eligible to sign a new deal since July 1 and will be due for a raise over his current $5.67-million cap hit.
General manager Chris Drury also acquired 33-year-old winger Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins - who retained 25% of his $5-million salary - and reeled in center Sam Carrick on a three-year, $3-million contract.
The Rangers currently have approximately $5.1 million in projected cap space, according to PuckPedia.
Kreider and Goodrow were teammates for three seasons after the latter joined the Rangers on a six-year, $21.85-million deal in July 2021.
Goodrow spent the first six years of his career in San Jose, but the Sharks were on his 15-team no-trade list, according to the New York Post's Larry Brooks.
The 31-year-old enjoyed his best statistical season in New York, amassing 13 goals and 33 points in 79 outings in 2021-22.
Goodrow mustered just 12 points in 80 regular-season games while serving in a bottom-six role this past season. But he added six goals - including two game-winners - and eight points in 16 games during the Rangers' run to the Eastern Conference Final.
The Florida Panthers eliminated New York in six games before going on to win the Stanley Cup. Kreider said he "unfortunately" wound up watching the Final.
"I usually don't, but for whatever reason, I just wanted to suffer through it," he said, per Baugh.
Kreider totaled eight goals and 12 points in 16 postseason contests this past spring after ranking second on the team with 39 goals and third with 75 points in the regular season.
