The Rangers have signed Vladislav Gavrikov, considered to be the top defenseman available in free agency, to a seven-year, $49 million contract extension, sources told ESPN.
The Los Angeles Kings made a big push to re-sign Gavrikov over the past several days, upping their offer at least twice, but the 29-year-old decided to enter the market. He is finishing up a two-year deal that carried a $5.875 million cap hit.
The Rangers envision Gavrikov as a defensive partner alongside Adam Fox, sources said. He also reunites with Rangers star and countryman Artemi Panarin; they were once teammates in Columbus.
The Rangers continue to reshape their roster after missing the playoffs. General manager Chris Drury traded away the team’s most tenured player, Chris Kreider, to Anaheim last month.
Gavrikov, a six-year NHL veteran, averaged 23:05 in 82 games for the Kings last season, scoring five goals and 25 assists. He played at times on both the left and right side. Los Angeles was one of the best defensive teams in the league, and Gavrikov was often on their top pairing.
