You might look at six goals and eight assists in 22 postseason games as okay numbers. But for Ivan Barbashev, that was a great run. Up until the last four games, the Vegas Golden Knights winger was putting in incredible work.
Add in 110 hits to the mix and it's easy to see why he was vital to the team's Stanley Cup Final run. Barbashev was the quintessential spark plug that kept the team going, demolishing opponents with each bone-crushing hit.
It was similar to the 2023 Stanley Cup run, when he scored seven goals and 11 assists. Granted, he only administered 64 hits during that run. But his scoring touch was still needed to win the Stanley Cup that season. After all, what are you doing trading Zach Dean to get the former St. Louis Blues winger?
Anyway, the Golden Knights will have a different look for the 2026-27 season. They'll need shooters galore to offset the absence of one particular player. They'll also need a physical force to offset another absence that used to hit hard. There's nobody better for the job than Ivan Barbashev himself, you know. Here's how he can do it.
How Ivan Barbashev can help the Vegas Golden Knights in 2026-27
Last season, Ivan Barbashev had a shooting percentage of 17.3. That's actually incredible from a shooting perspective, meaning that he's one of the most accurate shooters on the Golden Knights. It's partially why Vegas acquired him from the Blues, aside from his hard-hitting acumen.
However, there's one small problem: Pavel Dorofeyev is gone and the Golden Knights need someone to step up and shoot the puck. It's likely that Vegas will trot out the line of Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone, meaning that someone else must step up. With Eichel already shooting and Stone predominantly passing, that leaves Barbashev as the odd man out.
133 shots on goal were good enough for sixth on the Golden Knights, which... could be better. The thing with Stone is that he's similar to Barbashev in how he approaches shooting. The Captain is extremely tactical and likes to pick his spots.
But Barbashev must be slightly different and carry a more aggressive approach. That way, he can ease the burden of replacing Dorofeyev's goal-scoring (with some help, of course). Of course, he can still be selective and hunt for his favorite spots. Still, it doesn't hurt to pick your spots and take a risk. Perhaps some medium-danger chances will help (7.49 medium-danger xGoals in 2025-26)?
After all, fans have grown tired of the "pass first, shoot later" philosophy. They've seen this on the power play and want the team to capitalize on an open look. With Dorofeyev gone, that means that players like Barbashev must step up. Otherwise, it'll be a long May for the Golden Knights.
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