Brad Penner-Imagn Images
His game may not be flashy, but Vladislav Gavrikov provided the New York Rangers with exactly what they brought him in for.
During the offseason, the Rangers signed Gavrikov to a seven-year contract worth $49 million in hopes that he could become the team’s defensive anchor.
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Through 18 games, Gavrikov’s presence has been valuable for the Rangers.
The 29-year-old defender does so many little things that go unnoticed by the casual eye.
In his own zone, Gavrikov is solid defensively, always in the right positions while playing physical hockey.
Mike Sullivan also gave Gavrikov important responsibilities. While Sullivan attempts to relieve Adam Fox of a defensive load, more of that work falls to Gavrikov.
He plays a critical role on the penalty kill and continues to take the defensive burden off Fox, allowing him to engage more offensively.
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Gavrikov averages 22:34 minutes, ranking second among all Rangers players in that category, and he leads the team in plus/minus rating at +6.
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If a player wants to join Igor Shesterkin, he will have to go through Gavrikov. During the Rangers’ 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday afternoon, Scott Sabourin hit Shesterkin and Gavrikov threw him to the ice in retaliation.
It’s these kinds of pieces that catch Sullivan’s attention.
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“Of course it is,” Sullivan said if Gavrikov’s defense of Shesterkin had caught his attention. “He’s a team guy and he’ll do whatever it takes to help his teammates. I think that goes a long way with his teammates. It definitely goes a long way with his coaching staff.”
The Rangers added a defensive anchor with the addition of Gavrikov and his contributions to the team surely shouldn’t go unnoticed.
