The New York Rangers have announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Morgan Barron on an entry-level contract. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native was selected by the Rangers in the sixth round, 174th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. His contract begins at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Barron played his college hockey in upstate New York at Cornell University, where he led the team in goals and points in each of his final two seasons. He also led the team in shots on goal in each of those seasons, recording 255 shots on goal in 65 games (3.92 shots on goal per game over the span). Barron tied for third in the NCAA in shots on goal in 2018-19 (152).
The twenty-one-year-old was a tri-captain with Cornell in 2019-20, led the team in several categories during the season, including goals, points, and shots on goal (103), and he was tied for second on the team in assists. He helped Cornell post a 23-2-4 record and win the ECAC Regular Season Championship during the 2019-20 season.
Barron skated in 29 games with Cornell University this season, registering 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points, along with a plus-17 rating and 24 penalty minutes. He was named a First Team All-American, and he was selected as one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in collegiate hockey in 2019-20. Barron was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year this season. In addition, he was named to the ECAC Hockey First All-Star Team and was a unanimous selection to the All-Ivy League First All-Star Team this season.
Mika Zibanejad gets New York Ranger Team Award
The Rangers also announced that Mika Zibanejad has been named the winner of the 2019-20 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.
Zibanejad, who also won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award last season, is the sixth Ranger who has won the award in at least two consecutive seasons (along with Adam Graves, Mark Messier, Sandy McCarthy, Ryan Callahan, and Mats Zuccarello).
The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award presented by Northwell Health is awarded annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
The award, which has been given annually since the 1987-88 season, bears the name of New York City Police Detective Steven McDonald, who was shot and injured in the line of duty on July 12, 1986, and passed away on January 10, 2017.
In honor of this year’s award, NorthwellHealth is donating $25,000 to the Steven McDonald Foundation.