Rangers sign D Gavrikov to seven-year, $49M deal
The New York Rangers have signed unrestricted free agent defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
Gavrikov, 29, recorded nine goals and 30 points in 82 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season while averaging 23:05 of ice time.
He added two assists in six playoff games while averaging 21:00 of ice time before his team was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.
The 6-foot-3 left-shot defenceman is coming off a two-year, $11.75 million contract that carried an annual cap hit of $5.975 million.
Drafted 159th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2015, Gavrikov has 29 goals and 135 points in 435 career games split between the Blue Jackets and Kings.
The Yaroslavl, Russia native represented the Olympic Athletes of Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, taking home a gold medal. He also represented Russia four times at the World Championship, winning bronze medals in 2017 and 2019.