Knights sign pending free-agent forward to 5-year extension

The Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup in part due to a dominant first line that opponents had problems stopping.

The team made sure to keep that group together Wednesday.

The Knights signed left wing Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25 million extension Wednesday, keeping the pending unrestricted free agent in the fold. The team cleared cap space for the move by trading left wing Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick.

“I made the comment when we acquired Ivan (on Feb. 26) that we’ve been looking for a player like this for some time,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “He’s in the prime of his career. We gave up a good young player to acquire him. He came in, he played extremely well. We won a Stanley Cup. He was a big part of that. We wanted to keep him.”

Barbashev, 27, joined the Knights before the trade deadline in a deal with the St. Louis Blues. It cost them 2021 first-round pick Zach Dean, but they thought Barbashev’s forechecking and net-front presence would add another dimension to their offense.

The Knights were correct.

Barbashev was the team’s fifth-leading scorer in the playoffs with 18 points in 22 games and was a perfect fit with center Jack Eichel and right wing Jonathan Marchessault. Eichel led the postseason with 26 points, and Marchessault was second with 25 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

The Knights believed in the three enough to keep them together despite the cost. Smith, 32, is one of the team’s original members and has been an alternate captain the past six seasons.

The Knights’ attention will now shift to retaining more of their Stanley Cup-winning roster.

Trading Smith and retaining Barbashev doesn’t change the team’s salary-cap picture for next season. The Knights have about $4.25 million in space with 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract, but they can gain an additional $5 million in spending power if goaltender Robin Lehner — who had one shoulder and two hip surgeries last summer — begins the season on long-term injured reserve.

Their remaining pending free agents are Blueger, left wing Brett Howden, right wing Phil Kessel and goaltenders Adin Hill, Laurent Brossoit and Jonathan Quick. Howden is a restricted free agent, meaning the Knights will retain his rights as they negotiate a new contract. The rest are unrestricted free agents and can sign with anyone if they don’t have a new deal by Saturday.

McCrimmon said the Knights have had discussions with Hill and his representatives after the goaltender went 11-4 during the team’s Cup run.

“We’re only interested in the free agents in our own organization and, fortunately, I think we have a couple real good ones,” McCrimmon said. “That’s been our focus.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.