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Ivan Barbashev

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.

Snapshots: Meier, Monahan, Barbashev

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San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier could be one of the most in-demand names on the trade market as we inch closer to the deadline, and potential suitors for his services are starting to become clearer. On TSN’s Insider Trading program, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun revealed that he had interviewed New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and that in the interview Fitzgerald confirmed the Devils’ interest in acquiring a top-six winger.

On Insider Trading, LeBrun added that Meier would “fit exactly what the Devils want” in a top-six forward, especially given that there is the potential for any team acquiring Meier to retain him beyond just this season. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta noted that the Devils have not had any recent contract talks with pending RFA winger Jesper Bratt and his representatives. While Pagnotta did clarify that the Devils and Bratt still have a mutual interest in getting an extension hammered out, it is fair to wonder what kind of implications the team’s interest in Meier could have on Bratt’s future in New Jersey.

Some other notes from across the NHL:

  • LeBrun also spoke on Insider Trading about Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan. LeBrun reported that the Colorado Avalanche are a “team to monitor” when it comes to a potential trade fit for the veteran pivot. The Avalanche have long been rumored to be seeking help down the middle and could opt for the injured Monahan, who has scored 17 points in 25 games in Montreal, as a cheaper option than higher-end choices such as Ryan O’Reilly or Bo Horvat.
  • On Insider Trading, Johnston also issued an update on St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev. He reported that Barbashev “is a name that has started to circulate” on the trade market, even though the Blues are still holding out some hope that they could go on a run that would put them back into the playoff mix. The 27-year-old forward is an unrestricted free agent after this season and has scored 23 points in 48 games. While that points production doesn’t jump off the page, it’s worth remembering that Barbashev scored 26 goals and 60 points just a year ago.

Four St. Louis Blues Enter COVID Protocol

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Four St. Louis Blues — forwards Dakota Joshua, James Neal, Ivan Barbashev, and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo — have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols, per a team release.

There are now five Blues on the protocol list, joining Oskar Sundqvist on the list.

Barbashev’s been a shocking producer to start the year, going on a tear with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 31 games. He’d been averaging over 17 minutes a game, too, so his absence can’t be taken lightly.

Joshua, Neal, and Bortuzzo had combined for just 11 points this year, but it’s just more depth missing from a Blues roster that’s been rocked by absences all year.

Barbashev entered protocol on December 23, so he’s eligible to return three days earlier than the other three players. However, due to an open schedule, all four could come back into action on January 5 against Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems like all four will be unavailable for the Winter Classic on New Years Day.

St. Louis Blues Sign Ivan Barbashev

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The St. Louis Blues have reached an agreement with Ivan Barbashev on a new two-year contract according to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Barbashev was a restricted free agent and eligible for salary arbitration this summer. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the contract will carry an average annual value of $2.25MM. PuckPedia reports that Barbashev will earn $1.9MM in 2021-22 and $2.5MM in 2022-23.

Even with the recent additions of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich, there appears to be more playing time available in St. Louis this year for some of its young forwards. The team has bid farewell to Jaden Schwartz, Mike Hoffman and Sammy Blais, with trade rumors still swirling around Vladimir Tarasenko and Tyler Bozak still out there as an unrestricted free agent. Though it seems unlikely that Barbashev, a part-time center, would move into the top-six, he still should probably receive a bit more playing time than the 13 minutes he’s averaged to this point.

In 270 NHL games, Barbashev has scored just 89 points, but at least part of that is due to the defensive deployment that Craig Berube has always reserved for his line. The two-way forward has bought into the physical side of the game, and adds some positional flexibility by being able to line up in the middle or left wing. The fact that he spent more minutes playing with Kyle Clifford than any other player on the Blues last season suggests that there is room for offensive improvement if elevated in the lineup, but in his short stints with the more talented forwards he still hasn’t produced very much.

If there was a time for a breakout, it would be these two years, as Barbashev will actually be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this new contract. If he can set himself up as a reliable middle-six center, the number of interested teams would certainly be high.

For the Blues, deciding not to buy out any of Barbashev’s UFA years has kept the cap hit relatively low, and important move when the team still has Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Zach Sanford to sign this summer. In fact, the team doesn’t have much room to operate with in those cases, unless of course, they move out a bigger contract like Tarasenko’s.

Injury Notes: Bozak, Trocheck, Bruins, Kings

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After a month-and-a-half on the sidelines, St. Louis Blues forward Tyler Bozak is finally making some progress toward a return. Speaking to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, head coach Craig Berube displayed optimism when discussing the health of his veteran center, who was back at practice on Friday. “He’s gonna get some work here in the next few days and he could be available soon,” Berube said. “It’s good to see him out there and working… making some real good progress.” Bozak has not played since January 26th, when he was forced out of game against the Vegas Golden Knights with an apparent concussion. With the Blue about to embark on a six-game road trip, they will have to decide if bringing Bozak is the right move or if he requires additional time before his return. While St. Louis also just got Vladimir Tarasenko back and Oskar Sundqvist returned from a short-term injury, they could still use all the help they can get. Colton Parayko, Jaden Schwartz, Ivan Barbashev, Robert Thomas, Jacob De La Rose, and more are still among the Blues’ injured.

  • The news on Carolina Hurricanes forward Vincent Trocheck does not sound as optimistic. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour tells The Athletic’s Sara Civian that Trocheck’s recent upper-body injury will keep him sidelined for “longer than hoped”. The coach held back on providing any definitive timeline, but any long-term absence for Trocheck will be a major loss for the team. In his first full season with the Hurricanes, Trocheck has been a point-per-game player and is tied with Sebastian Aho for the team’s scoring lead. If there is one silver lining for Carolina, it is that the injury occurred before the trade deadline; with a considerable amount of cap space, the ’Canes still have time to bring in help to make up for an extended period without Trocheck.
  • Back on the positive side, the Boston Bruins have been dealing with an onslaught of injuries for some time, but there could be some help on the way. Head coach Bruce Cassidy announced today that veteran defenseman Kevan Miller has resumed skating and is likely to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Miller has been resting his surgically-repaired knee, but seems like he is ready to get back on the ice. Cassidy also said that defenseman Brandon Carlo is “coming around” and, while he is unsure if it will happen, there is at least some consideration that he could travel as well. This is the first concrete update on Carlo since he was hospitalized by a high hit from Washington’s Tom Wilson, but its seems that Carlo will not be out for a lengthy period as many feared.
  • It’s a scary time for any unknown illness given the shadow of the Coronavirus, so the Los Angeles Kings played it safe and cancelled practice this morning, citing an “illness” spreading around the group. Head coach Todd McLellan and the Kings do not believe that this is COVID, but a seasonal virus. However, the team will wait to see what their latest batch of test results say. Defenseman Olli Maatta is currently on the league’s COVID Protocal Related Absences list, though Alex Iafallo missed the team’s last game with similar symptoms and did not test positive for COVID. Obviously, the hope of all involved is that this is what McLellan believe it to be: some unrelated bug going around the locker room.

Carl Gunnarsson Out For Season

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The St. Louis Blues have announced another long-term injury, this time to defenseman Carl Gunnarsson. The veteran will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury sustained in the Blues’ recent game against the Los Angeles Kings. He is still being evaluated to determine the full extent of the injury. The team also announced that Ivan Barbashev underwent successful surgery on his ankle and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, as reported previously.

Gunnarsson, 34, has been a quiet soldier for the blues the last several seasons, rarely getting into the lineup but being ready whenever he does. A veteran of 629 regular season NHL games, he has just 73 since the start of the 2018-19 season. An injury like this, if it is as serious as originally feared, could potentially end that long career, given Gunnarsson is an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and will turn 35 just after the next season starts.

If it is the end, at least in St. Louis, he’ll leave with the respect of his teammates. Brayden Schenn called Gunnarsson an “absolute warrior” and a “hell of a teammate” after last night’s game. The depth defenseman played in 19 games on the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run, actually scoring the winning goal in overtime of game two against the Boston Bruins. That goal led to one of the most hilarious anecdotes of the playoffs, as Gunnarsson explained after the game he called his shot while standing next to head coach Craig Berube at the urinal during intermission.

For now, he’ll face a long rehab. But he’ll always be a Stanley Cup champion.

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