Former Battalion defenceman Brent Burns was close with the San Jose Sharks in 2016, but Burns' former Sharks teammate Barclay Goodrow hit the jackpot way, way back at the late February trade deadline when he was shipped to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Goodrow became a fixture with his new team during this bizarre bubbled playoff run that started in Toronto and ended in the NHL Edmonton bubble Monday night when the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars 2-0 to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Stars 4-2 in the finals.
Barclay becomes the first-ever player in Battalion franchise history to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. That's a long list of Battalion alum who have gone on to solid NHL careers like Matt Duchene, Rostislav Klesla, Cody Hodgson, Jason Spezza, and of course Brent Burns, but none of them can show off a Stanley Cup ring.
"To see Barclay hoist the Stanley Cup is very special for the Battalion organization," said Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen.
"He was instrumental on so many levels our first year in North Bay both on and off the ice. I couldn’t be prouder for him and his family on this huge accomplishment. Barclay has set a great example that shows hard work pays off. Congrats Barclay!”
See related: Battalion coach impressed by Goodrow's playoff run
Adam Dennis, Battalion general manager, congratulates Barclay and the Lightning.
"Any time a player who has sat in our dressing room and worn the jersey accomplishes something like this it gives the rest of our group a road map on how to get there," said the eloquent Battalion GM.
"I haven’t met Barclay personally but I have heard a lot about him as a player and a person and have an understanding of how much work went into this. We are very proud to have him as an alum.”
Goodrow was joined on the ice during the Stanley Cup celebration by his mother and father who were able to make it from Aurora to the Edmonton bubble.
Back to the Centennials' era, the last Centennial, Chris Thorburn, hoisted the cup for the first time in the spring of 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and retired this past season.
Before that, it was North Bay fans cheering for the Dallas Stars as former Centennial and Stars captain Derian Hatcher hoisted the Cup with the Stars way back in 1999.
