Barbashev agrees to terms on two-year contract

RFA avoids arbitration by coming to terms 

on $4.5 million contract, $2.25 million AAV

By LOU KORAC
ST LOUIS -- One of the Blues' restricted free agents is no more.

Ivan Barbashev

The team announced late Friday afternoon that forward Ivan Barbashev has agreed to terms on a two-year, $4.5 million contract ($2.25 million average annual value).

Barbashev, 25, was arbitration-eligible but signed two days after becoming a RFA; he has played in 270 games with the Blues and has 89 points (42 goals and 47 assists), including 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 38 games this past season.

The signing leaves the Blues with just over $6.33 million in available cap space remaining (for now) with contracts for forwards Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Zach Sanford and Dakota Joshua left on the docket.

There will be some alleviation there depending on when the Blues trade Vladimir Tarasenko and his $7.5 million cap hit, or however much they take back in salary, and a eighth defenseman, for now, is counted on the cap, according to cap friendly, but Klim Kostin, should be make the team, will have his $863,333 cap hit count. 

Of the remaining RFA's, Sanford is the only one arbitration-eligible.

The Blues padded their farm team in Springfield, Mass. on Friday when they signed defenseman Calle Rosen to a one-year, two-way contract ($700K NHL/$300K AHL) and defenseman Tommy Cross to a one-year, two-way contract ($750K NHL/$250K AHL).