The New York Rangers have signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a 7-year deal worth $49 million, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Gavrikov 7 x 7 NYR
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2025
Gavrikov has quietly emerged as one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL these past two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. In a role that once belonged to Drew Doughty, Gavrikov became the team’s shutdown defenseman, playing more than 23 minutes per night against the toughest matchups.
How Gavrikov Did in 2024-25
The numbers don’t blow you away, but that is generally the case with defensive defensemen. Gavrikov scored five goals while adding 25 assists for 30 points (both the second highest of his career) for the Kings in 82 games last season.
Related: 2025 NHL Free Agency Tracker
What the stat sheet doesn’t show you is his impact in his own zone. Averaging 23:05 per night, Gavrikov was a force in his own end. He blocked a career-high 140 shots, played with physicality, and became the anchor for the Kings’ defense, playing against the toughest matchups night in and night out.
What Gavrikov Brings to the Table
Gavrikov is playing his best hockey and, at 29 years old, still has at least a few good years ahead of him. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he is a big, tough, smart defenseman who takes on all the toughest assignments for his team. His defensive metrics are excellent, and he is a fantastic penalty killer as well.
Vladislav Gavrikov, Los Angeles Kings (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Though it may be a lot to call him a top-pairing defenseman, he can slide in as a shutdown defender and kill penalties with regularity. When matchups become more important, Gavrikov will undoubtedly be one of the defensemen who gets his name called regularly.
He is akin to a poor man’s Jacob Slavin. Slavin has finally been getting respect for his excellent two-way play for the Carolina Hurricanes, and rightfully so. Gavrikov may not be quite the offensive player Slavin is, but he’s that level of defender right now.
How Gavrikov Fits With the Rangers
Gavrikov will no doubt earn big minutes yet again. He played a career-high 23:05 per night with the Kings in 2024-25, up from 20:37 the previous season. He will be counted on to play 22-24 minutes per night, sometimes more, of shutdown defense.
Offensively, he’s probably close to his ceiling. He likely isn’t going to get much power-play time (if any), so there will be a limit on how much he can do offensively. Still, getting a handful of goals and 25-30 points out of your best defensive defenseman is far from the worst thing in the world.
When the playoffs roll around, Gavrikov will become a focal point. He was tasked with handling Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at times this past season, and will be asked to handle those tough minutes going forward. The Rangers are in dire need of a shutdown defenseman and, with K’Andre Miller likely on the outs, Gavrikov is ideally what they are looking for.
