Remember when the Vegas Golden Knights acquired Ivan Barbashev from the St. Louis Blues in 2023? They traded away Zach Dean to make it happen, getting Jack Eichel a top-line buddy in the process. The deal turned out to be a winner, bringing Vegas a Stanley Cup.
In fact, Barbashev's stats during that run tell the whole story. During the 2022-23 regular season, he scored six goals and 10 assists in 23 games for the Golden Knights. He also made his presence felt during the Stanley Cup run, scoring seven goals and 11 assists in 22 games.
Lo and behold, the 29-year-old faces his former team on Saturday. The Golden Knights haven't been too hot to start the season, boasting a record of 7-4-5. That's good for 19 points, an underwhelming number for a Stanley Cup contender with lofty expectations.
However, the St. Louis Blues haven't been better. After making the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Blues have a record of 6-8-4 entering Saturday's contest, good for 16 points. If there's one thing Barbashev knows, it's that he's thankful he got his 2023 Stanley Cup.
But how has he done all-time against his former team? Has he shined brightly and put up godly numbers? Or have the Blues gotten the best of him?
Ivan Barbashev has a goal and five assists in seven games with the Vegas Golden Knights against the St. Louis Blues
Barbashev hasn't had many games until his belt against the St. Louis Blues. He's only played his former team seven times in his career, after all. However, his stats have been noteworthy in that short time.
The Russian winger has a goal and five assists against the Blues. That includes a two-assist game on December 6, 2023, which is arguably his most productive game. It's in direct competition with October 11, 2024, when he had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win.
Granted, those numbers are also slightly skewed. Barbashev has had three games where he had zero points. That consists of the following dates:
- December 4, 2023 (STL won in overtime, 2-1)
- March 25, 2024 (VGK won in overtime, 2-1)
- January 20, 2025 (STL won in a shootout, 6-5)
While those performances might be somewhat concerning, fans can expect Barbashev to be on the points prowl come Saturday. He has four goals and two assists during November, making him one of the most potent weapons for the Golden Knights. Perhaps he can add to that total and get Vegas something they've been desperately seeking lately: a win.