Blues’ Barbashev returns to St. Louis for birth of first child

St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev is headed home from Edmonton to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.

Barbashev, 24, knew when he arrived in Edmonton, the hub for the Western Conference playoffs, he wouldn’t be there long. He played in the Blues’ exhibition game against Chicago and first playoff game against Colorado before going back to St. Louis.

“We felt it was important for Ivan to be with us for the first two games of the restart and we were prepared for him leaving to go back to St. Louis to be with Ksenia,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “We wish them both the best and look forward to seeing Ivan back in Edmonton during the first round of the playoffs.”