The St. Louis Blues and general manager Doug Armstrong have been very smart about their contracts in recent years. Armstrong wass known for giving out unnecessary, somewhat albatross contracts, but he learned his lesson and has been more businesslike in his recent dealings.
For some players, that is not what they want when it comes time for them to move up in the world. Every player wants the sun and the moon, whether they deserve it or not.
So, the Blues enter an interesting situation with their final contract to be signed in 2019. With Ivan Barbashev, the Blues hold all the power in terms of his NHL rights.