He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, and Dallas Stars.
He was drafted from the QMJHL where he spent four seasons with the Beauport Harfangs, Verdun Collège Français and Victoriaville Tigres, leading the league in penalty minutes in 1992 and 1993.
Barnaby, who was considered a pest and agitator during his career, spent the next few seasons playing for the Sabres and AHL affiliate Rochester Americans.
He was frequently involved in on-ice altercations, and among other incidents he made headlines in 1996, when in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers after a few hits and Barnaby lying on the ice presumably injured, a brawl between the two teams started.
After struggling to provide an impact to start the 2001–02 season for the Lightning, Barnaby was again traded to the New York Rangers for Zdeno Ciger on December 12, 2001.
Barnaby became a fan favourite in the Big Apple and played in 196 games before he was traded to the playoff bound Colorado Avalanche in the 2003–04 season, for David Liffiton and Chris McAllister on March 8, 2004.
Barnaby also co-hosted The Enforcers on Time Warner Cable SportsNet with Rob Ray until joining ESPN as an NHL analyst in late 2008.
[16] He was accused of causing an estimated $300 in damage after kicking a garage door in an attempt to enter the suburban Buffalo home where his estranged wife and two children lived, Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita's office said.
[17] On May 14, 2011, Barnaby pleaded not guilty to felony criminal mischief and was ordered to complete 500 hours of community service to have charges dropped.
As part of the plea agreement, the misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment were to be dropped if he fulfilled the judge's order within a year.