Vlad Gavrikov arrived in New York as the centerpiece of Chris Drury’s 2025 offseason, and the Rangers paid for that bet by moving both K’Andre Miller and Chris Kreider to clear the cap and roster room. The 30-year-old defenseman signed for 7 years and $7 million, stepping in as the team’s 1LD alongside Adam Fox. He came in with the kind of shutdown reputation that brings real expectations, and on that front, he delivered.
The surprise was how much offense came with it. Gavrikov blew past his previous career bests, scoring 14 goals after never topping six before.
He also posted 21 assists, falling seven short of his career high of 28, and finished with 35 points, which topped his old mark of 33. With Fox sidelined, Gavrikov helped carry more of the offensive load than anyone likely expected.
The defensive picture was a little more complicated. His numbers were affected by the mess the Rangers were last season, but there were still some warning signs worth noting.
His defense rating on his player card was dragged down in part by rough shorthanded results. At 5-on-5, he was steady, though not quite as sharp as hoped, and while he did a decent job limiting dangerous chances, the overall shot volume against him was a bit higher than ideal.
There’s clearly room for that side of his game to improve as the team improves around him.
The microstats tell a similar story. Gavrikov’s defensive zone retrievals and exits were the areas that stood out most for concern, even if his zone entry defense remained strong.
At the same time, those numbers also show why he fits so well next to Fox. Their strengths and weaknesses line up in a way that should help cover for each other, and it’s not hard to see why the pairing makes sense beyond simply calling them the Rangers’ two best defensemen.
Looking ahead, the biggest key is getting him back on track shorthanded. That should help his overall profile, especially with the Rangers expected to have a real second pair instead of leaning on what amounted to two third pairs. His offensive totals are also likely to come down with the Sean Durzi acquisition, which means Gavrikov’s value next season will need to come more from cleaner defensive play, particularly when the team is down a man.
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