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Ivan Barbashev

Vegas Golden Knights Extend Ivan Barbashev

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After dealing Reilly Smith just hours earlier, the Vegas Golden Knights have put their cap space to use. They’ve signed top pending unrestricted free agent forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25MM extension, earning him $5MM per season. That’s significantly shorter and cheaper than what Barbashev was expected to earn on the open market. PuckPedia has the breakdown of the deal:

2023-24: $3MM base salary, $4MM signing bonus, eight-team no-trade clause
2024-25: $5.4MM base salary, eight-team no-trade clause
2025-26: $4.2MM base salary, eight-team no-trade clause
2026-27: $4.2MM base salary, five-team no-trade clause
2027-28: $4.2MM base salary, five-team no-trade clause

This has now become a money-in, money-out move for the Knights, who’ve swapped Smith’s $5MM cap hit for Barbashev’s, retaining the younger player (with more term) in the process. The move takes Barbashev, who was ranked eighth on our list of the top 50 UFAs, off the open market sooner than most had expected.

The two-time Stanley Cup champion has seemingly sacrificed a bit on his big payday in hopes of running it back. It’s quite a cheap deal, especially considering the lack of significant trade protection included in the contract.

That being said, it’s a good bit of business here for Vegas to keep Barbashev in the organization after he emerged as a true top-six threat down the stretch. While he’s not incredibly strong defensively, extended time on the wing has done Barbashev well, and he seems likely to be a consistent long-term fixture – just not as a center as the St. Louis Blues tried with him many times.

The Blues’ 2014 second-round pick was one of the hotter commodities at this year’s trade deadline, where Vegas picked him up in a one-for-one swap for prospect Zach Dean, who the Knights selected 30th overall in 2021. Barbashev proceeded to find a home as the left wing on a line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault, finishing fifth on the Knights in playoff scoring with 18 points in 22 games. He also recorded 16 points in 23 regular-season games with Vegas after notching 6o points in a full season for the first time in 2021-22 with St. Louis.

Barbashev will undoubtedly reprise his first-line role next season, and he’ll look to start his new extension off strong by setting a career-high in points alongside one of the best centers in the league and the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

Of significance, the Golden Knights will once again be over the salary cap once Adin Hill’s reported two-year, $4.9MM average annual value extension becomes official. That could be alleviated, though, if Robin Lehner and his $5MM cap hit are destined for long-term injured reserve next season.

Free Agent Notes: Barbashev, Jost, Ekman-Larsson

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One of the top pending UFA forwards is, in fact, expected to go to market – a boon for a weak class that’s only getting weaker. There are currently no talks ongoing between the Vegas Golden Knights and forward Ivan Barbashev, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes says, and he is expected to hit the market on July 1.

The 27-year-old fit in seamlessly with Vegas after a trade deadline deal with the St. Louis Blues, scoring 34 points in 45 combined regular-season and playoff games en route to his second Stanley Cup in five years. The uptick in scoring came with a significant uptick in ice time, and he now enters the free agent market as a bonafide top-six winger in his prime. He could very well double his previous cap hit of $2.25MM on the open market on a long-term deal, something Vegas just doesn’t have the financial certainty at this point to accommodate. His performance this year came on the heels of a breakout 60-point campaign with the Blues in 2021-22.

More notes on this year’s pending free agent class:

  • When the Buffalo Sabres re-signed veteran forward Zemgus Girgensons, many wondered what it meant for pending RFA Tyson Jost’s future with the club, given the team’s depth crunch on offense. Today, general manager Kevyn Adams said he’s spoken with Jost’s agent and informed them he’d like to work out an extension, keeping him in the fold as a decent depth scoring option. The team is expected to trade Victor Olofsson this offseason, but Jost could still slip into the role of a healthy scratch if the team does make any notable free agent acquisition. The 25-year-old notched 25 points in 71 games this season.
  • It doesn’t appear defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be without a home for long. After getting bought out by the Vancouver Canucks last week, Ekman-Larsson’s agent, Kevin Epp, tell’s CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal that upwards of 10 teams have shown interest in bringing him on, including some contending teams. One team that immediately jumps out as a natural fit for a veteran defenseman on a cheap deal needing some reduced minutes to be successful is the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’d sit on the third pairing behind Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev on their depth chart, and Ekman-Larsson’s situation isn’t all too dissimilar to that of Kevin Shattenkirk a few seasons ago.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Barbashev, Bouchard

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The Kings have been linked as a legitimate suitor for Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois as the middleman has made it known that he’d like to be moved this summer.  Eric Stephens of The Athletic examines (subscription link) what the pros and cons would be if Los Angeles was to land the 24-year-old.  He’d certainly give them a big boost down the middle alongside Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault but fitting his reported asking price (suggested as being in the $9MM range on a long-term deal) would require them moving a roster player or two at a minimum plus other young players or prospects to facilitate a swap.  Making that move would also limit what they’re able to do between the pipes to find a playing partner for Pheonix Copley.  In the end, Stephens feels that the Kings would be better off not making the move, we’ll see if GM Rob Blake feels the same way in the coming weeks.

More from the Pacific:

  • The Golden Knights and winger Ivan Barbashev discussed an extension prior to the playoffs but the two sides were too far apart, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link). Now, on the heels of a strong playoff performance, that gap has likely only widened.  Friedman speculates that the 27-year-old could land a max-term contract on the open market (seven years if he doesn’t re-sign) which could push his price tag to more than double the $2.25MM AAV he has played on the last two seasons.
  • Postmedia’s Jim Matheson opines that an offer sheet for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard could really put the team in a bind this summer. The 23-year-old broke out following the trade of Tyson Barrie at the trade deadline and found another gear in the playoffs, leading all blueliners in scoring despite the fact that Edmonton was eliminated in the second round.  Edmonton currently only has around $5MM in cap room per CapFriendly with multiple players to sign with that money.  They’ll need to get creative to afford a bridge deal let alone a longer-term one which leaves them potentially vulnerable for the time being.

Radko Gudas Won’t Return To Game 2

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The Score is reporting that Florida Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas won’t be returning to game 2 tonight after taking a reverse hit in the first period from Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev. There was no penalty on the play and Gudas immediately went down the tunnel after leaving the ice.

Florida had elected to dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen for the game tonight as Gudas was nursing a lingering issue and wasn’t 100%. Casey Fitzgerald drew into the lineup to supplant Gudas even before the hit in the first period. It’s no wonder Gudas is hurting as he leads the playoffs with 79 hits thus far to go along with his three assists in 17 games.

Gudas celebrated his 33rd birthday today and given the current score of tonight’s game and his current injury status, it couldn’t have been the birthday the Czech native was hoping for when he woke up this morning. Florida has made little known about Gudas at this time, but given the way these injuries have been dealt with in these playoffs it is likely that Gudas will be re-evaluated tomorrow before any new news is released.

Afternoon News: Capitals, Howden, Maple Leafs

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Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic wrote a piece today that highlighted the nine forwards he believes would fit what the Washington Capitals are looking for this offseason. El-Bashir begins the piece by shining a light on the salary cap crunch that will leave the Capitals with around $5MM in cap space this summer. That leaves Washington with precious little space to work with, however El-Bashir quickly points out that Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha are both trade options that are finding their names on a lot of trade boards.

El-Bashir feels that Washington won’t target players over 30 given their age and Washington’s precarious cap situation. He lists Tyler Bertuzzi, Connor Brown, Andreas Athanasiou, Ivan Barbashev, Michael Bunting, J.T. Compher, Max Domi, Pierre Engvall, and Evan Rodrigues as the likely targets for Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan. Washington has an extensive group of forwards signed to contracts for next season but have a glaring hole on the right wing. Given the cost and the need I would likely put current Capitals forward Connor Brown near the top of the list. Brown was acquired from the Ottawa Senators for a second round pick last summer but only dressed in four games before suffering a season ending ACL injury in his right knee.

In other afternoon notes:

  • Jesse Granger of The Athletic is reporting that Brett Howden of the Vegas Golden Knights was on the ice for the team’s morning skate ahead of their game 4 matchup against the Dallas Stars. Granger reported yesterday that the 25-year-old center had tweaked a lower body injury in game 2 and tried to play through it but couldn’t. Howden missed game 3 and given that he’s seen a lot of time in Vegas’ top-6 as of late, his return would be a welcome boost if he can dress tonight. Howden had a pedestrian regular season with 13 points in 54 games, however in these playoffs he has three goals and three assists in 14 games. Vegas has a chance to sweep Dallas this evening.
  • Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star wrote an opinion piece today about why former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving checks so many of the boxes that Brendan Shanahan and the Toronto Maple Leafs would be looking to tick. McGran highlights Treliving’s experience in Calgary working in a collaborative environment with former president of hockey ops Brian Burke. Toronto’s future general manager would be tied to Shanahan as well as the board of MLSE, it is a job that is different from some other NHL clubs, however Treliving has worked within a similar structure. McGran also cites Treliving’s penchant for having the guts to make bold moves, Treliving spent last summer overhauling the Calgary Flames out of necessity by trading Matthew Tkachuk to Florida for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar as well as signing Nazem Kadri as a free agent.

West Notes: Coyotes, Oilers, Barbashev

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It has been a long rebuilding process for the Coyotes as they’ve stripped their team down while adding many prospects and draft picks.  Speaking with Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link), GM Bill Armstrong indicated that they’re nearing the halfway point of their rebuild.  Arizona has 47 draft picks over the next four drafts, 17 of which are in the first two rounds so there is definitely going to be a significant influx of young talent into the organization in the coming years.  However, it appears at least a couple more years of being around the basement of the conference are on the horizon as it will take some time for their young talent to develop.

More from the West:

  • The Oilers made a legitimate pitch to acquire winger Timo Meier before the trade deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 32 Thoughts While it would be hard to see how Meier and his $10MM qualifying offer would fit into Edmonton’s salary structure, Friedman suggests their intention was simply to figure out the cap implications over the summer.  Had it happened, there’s a strong possibility that Meier would have been back on the market this summer with Edmonton effectively treating him as a rental player.  Meier, of course, ultimately went to New Jersey and has a goal in three games so far with his new team.
  • While his acquisition largely flew under the radar with more prominent names being moved, forward Ivan Barbashev might wind up being the best deadline acquisition, posits SinBinVegas’ Jason Pothier. The Golden Knights parted with 2021 first-round pick Zach Dean to pick up the 27-year-old pending UFA and Barbashev has fit in quite well, notching five points in six games with his new team.  More importantly, he has shown some early chemistry on the top line in the place of injured captain Mark Stone and if he’s able to hold down that spot on the depth chart, he should certainly be at least one of the most impactful pickups from the trade deadline activity.

Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Ivan Barbashev

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The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired forward Ivan Barbashev from the St. Louis Blues. The Blues will receive prospect Zach Dean in return. Barbashev is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $2.25MM cap hit.

This move takes another quality name off the trade board in advance of Friday’s deadline and is the third trade the Blues have made this month, following the departures of Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly.

Worth noting is that this deal is not expected to take to the Golden Knights out of the running for San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, whose trade saga was reported today to be down to just two teams: Vegas and the New Jersey Devils.

Adding Barbashev gives Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy a talented, versatile option to plug into his forward corps. Injuries have forced Vegas to play Michael Amadio as a top-six winger as of late, and has forced top scorer Chandler Stephenson into the third-line center role in between Phil Kessel and William Carrier.

Barbashev can play center and the wing, so Cassidy could choose to play him in Amadio’s spot or even shift him to third-line center, allowing Stephenson to return to a role as a top-six winger. Barbashev has had success in both roles, scoring 26 goals and 60 points last season playing quite often as a winger alongside other scoring forwards.

He’s also had success playing as a two-way center, and is able to play on both special teams units. While Barbashev’s production is down from last season (he has 10 goals and 29 points in 59 games this year) he remains a valuable, versatile two-way player who can help fill needs as they pop up in Vegas’ lineup.

His jack-of-all-trades abilities should help Vegas as they seek to return to the playoffs, and as they get healthier, his value to their team will only grow.

For St. Louis, nabbing Dean for an expiring contract is a nice cherry on top of what was already a successful trade season. The 20-year-old forward was selected 30th overall in 2021, and was recently showcased as a member of the Canadian World Junior team. He ended up with 33 penalty minutes in the short tournament because of an illegal check to the head as he played his signature brand of physical, high-energy hockey. Dean has recorded 49 points in 38 games for the Gatineau Olympiques this season.

Vegas continues to trade away top prospects for players they believe can get them closer to a Stanley Cup in the short term. Dean joins Peyton Krebs, Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, and Erik Brannstrom as first-round selections that have been traded since the team’s expansion. Only Brendan Brisson remains from the six players they’ve selected in the first round, and one would expect he is likely involved in any Meier talks.

TSN’s Darren Dreger first broke the trade on Twitter.

Snapshots: Farabee, Kapanen, Barbashev

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Speculation is running rampant with the trade deadline so close, but some interesting tidbits have also started to leak out. Agents and teams alike will reveal things to impact negotiations one way or another. One of those might have to do with Joel Farabee, whose camp has “voiced their displeasure” to the Philadelphia Flyers over how this season has played out, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.

Farabee was one of the latest to feel the wrath of John Tortorella, playing just 3:52 against the Calgary Flames on Monday. The 22-year-old is in the first season of a six-year, $30MM contract extension signed back in September 2021 and has just nine goals and 26 points coming off major offseason surgery.

  • Seravalli also reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins recently informed the rest of the league that Kasperi Kapanen is available for trade, as the club approaches a salary cap crunch. Jan Rutta is almost ready to return from long-term injured reserve, meaning a move must be made in Pittsburgh. Kapanen has been made a healthy scratch at times this season and has scored just seven goals in 42 games.
  • According to Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest, one player that won’t be scratched to protect his value is Ivan Barbashev. The St. Louis Blues have already made several moves to collect assets, and Barbashev remains one of the last big chips they have to dangle at the deadline. Now 27, Barbashev has ten goals and 28 points in 57 games this season, a disappointing sequel to his breakout campaign a year ago. Still, he is an interesting piece at the deadline, given his physicality and versatility given he can play all three forward positions.

Snapshots: Gavrikov, Barbashev, Senators Sale Price

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Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov hasn’t played in three straight games since Columbus has held him out of the lineup for “trade-related reasons.” While seems unlikely that Gavrikov remaining sidelined is an ideal situation for any involved party, he still has not yet been traded as some other big names across the league have. But there could be a reason for that. According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, it’s believed the Jackets have a trade in place [for Gavrikov] that requires another transaction to take place first.” (subscription link)

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has not commented on the lingering nature of Gavrikov’s trade-related absence, but it seems reasonable that a team interested in acquiring the defenseman would need to first make a move in order to pave the way for his arrival. Cap space around the league is heavily limited, and while Gavrikov is relatively inexpensive at a pro-rated portion of his $2.8MM AAV, some interested parties may still need to find a way to move money out or secure a third-party “cap broker” before they can afford Gavrikov. So, based on Portzline’s reporting, it seems wise to look out for any transactions that seem relatively anonymous or insignificant, as that move could be the one that gives the green light for a Gavrikov trade.

Now, for some more notes from across the NHL:

  • The St. Louis Blues have already parted with Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola, and Noel Acciari this deadline season, and versatile two-way forward Ivan Barbashev could be next. While the 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent’s scoring numbers have declined from where they were last season (when he scored 26 goals and 60 points) Barbashev remains on pace for more than forty points of offense. He’s a widely-respected two-way contributor as well, and The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the Bruins are expected to have some interest in acquiring Barbashev, noting the familiarity between the player and Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, a former assistant coach in St. Louis. (subscription link) While the Bruins have a roster without many glaring issues, adding another strong forward to their mix would make them all the more formidable of an opponent.
  • The ultimate price tag for any interested buyer in the Ottawa Senators could reach as much as $1 billion, according to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, via the Bob McCown podcast. While the Senators are generally valued a decent ways below that billion-dollar threshold by most public evaluators, a competitive bidding process between several motivated parties could be what helps push up the price for the franchise in Canada’s capital. While it’s no guarantee the final number gets that high, a billion-dollar sale would represent a positive development for the league, as relatively recently the Pittsburgh Penguins (who are widely regarded to be in a more lucrative market than the Senators) went for a reported sale price of around $900MM.

Blues Aren’t Expected To Re-Sign Ivan Barbashev

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While there are some notable forwards that have a shot at moving between now and the March 3rd trade deadline, some teams looking for upgrades might instead be aiming for someone a little lower in the lineup.  Those squads should be keeping tabs on the Blues as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that the team has informed Ivan Barbashev that he won’t be re-signed for next season and they expect to trade in the next few weeks.

2021-22 was a breakout season for the 27-year-old.  With his career highs being 14 goals, 15 assists, and 26 points (set over two years), he blew past those last year with 24 goals and 36 assists in 81 games, becoming a key part of their attack in the process.

However, Barbashev hasn’t been able to repeat those numbers this season.  That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering the jumps from a year ago.  But what bodes well for St. Louis in a potential swap is that the forward is on pace to post numbers that could beat those career bests before last season.  With 24 points in 51 games, he’s playing at a 39-point pace.

Barbashev is in the final season of his contract, one that has turned out to be quite a bargain at an AAV of $2.25MM.  Assuming that St. Louis is willing to retain up to the maximum 50% ($1.125MM), that would drop him to a price point that many teams – even the really cap-strapped ones – should be able to afford.

In an ideal world, St. Louis probably wouldn’t mind keeping Barbashev around.  However, their cap situation makes that idea basically impossible.  The team has over $69MM committed to just a dozen players for next season per CapFriendly and they need to either re-sign or replace Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly (replacing both seems to be the likeliest direction at this point) and fill out the rest of the roster.  By the time they do that, they won’t be able to afford Barbashev on a market-value contract.

As a player that can play both center and the wing, kill penalties in a pinch, and contribute some secondary scoring in a middle-six role, Barbashev can fill a useful role on several teams.  With what should be a fairly low price tag in terms of the impact on the salary cap, he’ll fit on the books of quite a few teams as well.  Accordingly, while Tarasenko and O’Reilly might be the headline names, Barbashev is likely to have a strong trade market of his own in the coming weeks.

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