Tompkins Weekly

Cornell’s Barron signs with New York Rangers



Cornell All-American Morgan Barron plays the puck along the boards in a game against Yale University last season. On Friday, July 31, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the New York Rangers of the NHL. Photo by Eldon Lindsay/Cornell Athletics.

There was plenty of speculation surrounding Cornell men’s hockey All-American Morgan Barron regarding whether he would return for his senior season with the Big Red or sign a professional contract instead. On Friday, July 31, the 2019 points leader for Cornell inked a three-year entry-level contract with the New York Rangers, who drafted him before his freshman season in 2017.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Barron anticipated having more time to make his decision. However, with the upcoming season for Cornell still in limbo, he played it safe and went pro. Barron discussed how the days leading up to his signing went.

“I talked with my parents quite a bit about it and talked to the coaches here at Cornell and people with the Rangers and really just mulled over all my options,” Barron said. “[It was] definitely very emotional. It was exciting, obviously, to get that done and not have to worry about it anymore. But at the same time, [I’m] a little bit sad that I won’t have the chance to go out there and compete with my teammates at Cornell anymore.”

His run at Cornell did not end the way he wanted. The Big Red were the top-ranked team in the nation heading into the national tournament that was subsequently canceled due to COVID-19. That missed opportunity will stick on his mind as he begins his journey in the NHL.

“I was really committed to trying to win a championship here at Cornell, and I felt like we were really shortchanged with the timing of this pandemic and how it cut off our postseason run this year,” Barron said. “It’s definitely disappointing on that front. But I felt like I was ready to move on and hopefully play at the next level.”

The next step for Barron, who is originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, will be training camp with the Rangers. Last summer, he took part in a prospect development camp with the team alongside several players who were brought to Toronto for the NHL playoffs this year. The team’s official training camp will have a different energy, and Barron is ready for the challenge.

“Whenever I’m on the ice, I’m enjoying it,” Barron said. “I’m having fun, and, to be honest, maybe that’ll change when I get to training camp. Whenever that may be, I’m not too sure. But at the moment, I’m confident in myself, and I think I’ve developed very well here at Cornell, and I’m excited to get going at the next level.”

Training camp will be delayed this year since the NHL already pushed the start date back for the 2020-21 season, leading to a very long offseason for Barron. The organization itself is not putting too much pressure on him, though.

“When I talked to them, they told me that they thought I was ready to make the jump to the next level and that if I go in and have a good camp, I’ll be able to play a role in the organization,” Barron said. “It’s pretty vague, of course, but I think they’ve shown me all steps along the way that I’m someone who they want in their organization.”

The Rangers are a historic franchise and were one of the original six teams in the NHL back in 1926. They also call the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, their home, which Barron has been able to play inside of three times as a member of Cornell. Still, it can be a lot to take in for a young player surrounded by NHL talent.

“There are so many great players in their organization,” Barron said. “As you come up through hockey, I think you just start to realize that at every level, there are so many really good hockey players out there. Hopefully, I can make the team as soon as possible, and then maybe it will set in for when I’m actually out there playing. But, in the meantime, I’m just trying to keep my head down and keep working.”

Throughout this journey, Barron utilized the guidance of longtime Cornell head coach Mike Schafer, who Barron called “the best coach in the country.” He talked about the advice he received from his coach.

“One of [Schafer’s] keywords has always been the process,” Barron said. “And that’s consistently been something he’s alluded to throughout my three years here. I think that’s the thing I’m going to take away from this, that this game of hockey that we all play, and even life in general, is just a big process and you have to follow along and just keep plugging away.”

The process has led Barron to a contract with the New York Rangers. He’ll look to join the growing list of Cornell alumni in the NHL after Cole Bardreau of the New York Islanders and former teammate Anthony Angello of the Pittsburgh Penguins both made their debuts earlier this season.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *