Three things Vegas Golden Knights fans can expect after acquiring Ivan Barbashev

Ivan Barbashev is off to the Vegas Golden Knights as the great St. Louis yard sale continues. Barbashev is the third major piece from the Blues to get sent to another team in a trade, with the first two being Vladimir Tarasenko to the Rangers and Ryan O'Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The return for the Blues was a good one, as they could snag Vegas' third-best prospect and 2021 first-round pick, Zach Dean, who could play a significant role in the future of the Blues organization after the trade.

The trade for Ivan Barbashev on the Knights' end tells us multiple things about how the organization will do business for the rest of the season and their intentions for the future.

Here are three things Vegas Golden Knights fans can expect after the Ivan Barbashev trade:

1- A more productive second line

The Vegas Golden Knights' forward group just got a lot deeper. Ivan Barbashev could fit in on the Golden Knights' second line along with goal-centric players like William Karlsson and Reilly Smith. Expect the numbers of a distributor like Barbashev to rise because of playing on that line with two of the most elite finishers in the NHL.

2- All in on 2023

Every year, the conversation around the Vegas Golden Knights seems the same: how they're constantly selling their future for the present. It hasn't paid off for them in the playoffs yet, but getting someone who's been there and done that, like Ivan Barbashev, could pay big dividends.

The Golden Knights are all in this season, and in a weakened Western Conference, it's Stanley Cup Final or bust. The Vegas Golden Knights weren't afraid to mortgage their future by trading one of their best prospects for a role player like Barbashev, and they won't be scared to do it again before the final deadline.

3- No more Timo Meier

Just hours before the Knights dealt for Ivan Barbashev, multiple reports from across the league were that the Knights were all in on Timo Meier. With their cap situation filled up and without the need to send any big cap pieces to St. Louis in the deal, it looks like Vegas are out on Meier.

That doesn't mean they won't be active for the rest of the week. Vegas could still use another upgrade as a depth forward and possibly a backup goaltender. Watch the Golden Knights continue to be active as the week progresses.