Does It Make Sense for the 2026 Rangers to Trade Their Veteran Defenseman After Just One Season?
As the New York Rangers continue their first offseason of their retooling stage, names continue to come up in trade talks. While they continue working on deals to trade players like Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider, a few unexpected names have been brought up. A very recent episode of Hot Stove on NHL Network Radio raised quite a lot of eyebrows when John Hoven mentioned a Rangers defenseman to keep an eye on this offseason. Not only did Hoven suggest keeping an eye on this defenseman, but he also said the possibility of returning this veteran to the Los Angeles Kings wouldn't surprise him. A bold prediction indeed, and while that specific team seems unlikely, can we see the Blueshirts trading Vladislav Gavrikov this offseason, after only just one season in New York?
Coming off the disappointment that was the 24-25 season, the New York Rangers looked to bounce back a year later with the addition of J.T. Miller. To help make a turnaround season more likely, Gavrikov signed a seven-year, $49 million deal with the Blueshirts after they traded the now Stanley Cup Champion K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. That, along with the hiring of Mike Sullivan, was hopefully enough to make this New York team a contender once more, and not even a full season later, they’re months into their retooling era. While the move may not have been the worst for the Rangers after the veteran defenseman's first season in New York, it still reflects a “win now” mentality, which is the opposite of what this struggling team needs. Think what you want about the move; the 30-year-old defenseman certainly made the most of his first season.
Hopping on the ice with Adam Fox last Fall, Gavrikov proved to be quite effective with New York. Not only was he a great partner with Fox, but the Russian defenseman also proved to be an effective goal scorer as well, leading New York’s defensemen with 14 goals on the season. While no Rangers defenseman can ever beat Fox in assists, the six-foot-three defenseman played his part and tallied 21 points for a total of 35 points this season. Having a defenseman like that on the ice with their 2021 Norris Trophy winner gives them a defensive pair fans would certainly want to see in the postseason, so that brings them a step closer to fixing their defensive problem. All that being said, does it really make sense for the Rangers to move on from Gavrikov?
There may be situations where trading a player like Gavrikov is the best move, but this offseason just doesn’t seem like that situation. While Chris Drury remains confident that this is mainly a retool and not a rebuild, the New York Rangers continue to push to win games and return to the playoffs as soon as possible, so a player like the former LA King is important to have on the roster. Fans would also do well to remember what happened in the last trade with Los Angeles, which sent Artemi Panarin to the Kings, though since Gavrikov refused an extension, it’s very unlikely it’ll come to that. After two disappointing seasons, the Blueshirts tend to move in a new direction, and if they choose to part ways with the veteran defenseman, does that make the future bright, or just make it scarier?
