Vladislav Gavrikov heads to Rangers on seven-year, $49 million deal

July 01, 2025 - 1:09pm

Luke Gazdic, Colby Armstrong and David Amber react to the New York Rangers signing Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year $7 million AAV deal and why he might have been the best UFA defenceman available.

Vladislav Gavrikov is headed to the Big Apple.

The defenceman signed a seven-year contract worth $49 million on Tuesday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported.

Gavrikov, 29, had 30 points (five goals and 25 assists) over 82 games last season. He added two assists in six games during the Kings' first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers.

The Russian was coming off a two-year contract worth $11.75 million.

Across 435 career games with the Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets, Gavrikov has recorded 29 goals and 106 assists for a total of 135 points.

Drafted 159th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2015, Gavrikov spent three seasons with Columbus before being traded to Los Angeles in March 2023.

Earlier Tuesday, the Kings signed forward Corey Perry away from the Edmonton Oilers.

Meanwhile, the Rangers were working on a trade to send defenceman K'Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in the wake of the Gavrikov signing, according to Friedman.