Latest news with #VladislavGavrikov
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL trade rumor: NHL Insider claims Vladislav Gavrikov is going to New York, in a shocking early Free Agency twist
Vladislav Gavrikov #84 of the Los Angeles Kings (Credit: Getty Images) The NHL 's free agency window doesn't officially open until July 1, but that hasn't stopped rumors from dominating headlines. The latest involves Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who, according to Elliotte Friedman, has already made his decision. And it's a big one. It's a twist that few saw coming. Gavrikov, a key presence on the Kings' blue line, had largely flown under the radar this offseason. With most speculation focused on flashier names, his quiet status may have been a strategic move. While other free agents have been busy entertaining offers, Gavrikov appears to have acted early and decisively. Vladislav Gavrikov Highlights New York Rangers fill blue line need with Gavrikov If the reports are true, the Rangers may finally be addressing a long-standing concern, defensive depth. Vladislav Gavrikov brings exactly the kind of physical, stabilizing presence New York lacked during their 2024 playoff run. While the contract details remain unclear, the fit seems logical. Gavrikov plays a smart, positional game. He's defensively responsible, logs big minutes, and won't shy away from physical matchups. That's precisely what New York has needed to complement their offensively skilled back end. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Arvonnassa joululoma Berliiniin kahdelle Lue lisää Undo The Los Angeles Kings are set to lose a key defenseman On the flip side, this news is a tough blow for the Los Angeles Kings. Gavrikov had been one of their most reliable defensive players since arriving from Columbus. Letting him walk without a known replacement only raises more questions for a Kings roster that's still in the middle of a competitive push. Whether Los Angeles underestimated his market value or couldn't match the Rangers' offer, the outcome is a significant loss for the Kings' blue line. Free agency may be a week away, but the Vladislav Gavrikov sweepstakes might already be over. And if Friedman's sources are right, the New York Rangers are walking away with one of the biggest steals before the bidding even begins. Also Read: The NHL rumor depicts that the Philadelphia Flyers are showing strong interest in Bowen Byram and JJ Peterka if the asking price is right For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Vladislav Gavrikov's next contract and the contract-year phenomenon
Few players took a larger and more unexpected leap than Vladislav Gavrikov did this past season. That the hulking, 29-year-old shutdown defensemen is up for a new contract this summer is probably no coincidence. Every year, it feels like the cream of the free-agency crop summons the best of their abilities just in time for a big payday, and Gavrikov's meteoric rise in 2024-25 was no exception. That makes his next contract a bit tricky to price. Advertisement Should teams pay Gavrikov for what he proved he can be last season: one of the league's premier defensemen worthy of a top-pair role? Or should they heed caution based on what he was before that: a decent defensive No. 3? Based on colleague James Mirtle's intel from the draft combine, the answer seems to be that some teams value Gavrikov based on his current contract year level as a true top-pair guy. That's a potentially dangerous thought. Mirtle threw out a possible asking price of $8.5 million on max term. That's a dollar amount whose expected value is almost right in line with where Gavrikov finished after the 2024-25 season: a projected Net Rating of plus-7.1. Over the life of a seven-year contract, the expectation on such a deal drops to plus-2.7 by the end. Essentially, it starts at low-end No. 1 defenseman money and finishes at low-end No. 2 defenseman money. If we're certain that's what Gavrikov is at this point in his career, and we think Gavrikov can age fairly well, that's not a horrible bet to make. It's the certainty of what Gavrikov currently is that creates risk, though — a huge 'if' based on a contract-year performance which may prove difficult to replicate. Financial incentive can be a massive motivator for athletes, as it would be for any human. It doesn't fuel everybody to the same degree, but it's hard to deny it doesn't have some impact on a person's psyche. With millions of extra dollars on the line, it should come as no surprise that players perform better with the potential of higher earnings on the line. It's human nature and something fans in all sports have anecdotally witnessed in the past. Here's what I found regarding the contract-year phenomenon, focusing on players expected to earn the most where aging was less of a concern. Over the last five seasons, there have been 100 unrestricted free agent skaters aged 31 or younger projected to earn an above-average contract according to Evolving-Hockey's contract projections. Those 100 players were expected to see their projected Net Rating decline by 0.29 goals due to age. They instead improved by 0.55 goals, a 0.84-goal difference. That's the contract-year bump, something 58 percent of the sample experienced. Advertisement Perhaps more interesting is what happens next: a steep decline back to reality. The expected drop after getting a new contract for the 100 players based on their age was 0.46 goals (or 0.75 goals in total). The actual decline was 1.59 goals (1.04 goals in total), completely erasing the contract-year bump and moving below the initial baseline. 65 percent of the selected skaters saw a post-contract decline larger than expected given their age. This is hardly a definitive study, given I'm looking at just the last five seasons and only 100 players in total. But there is probably some smoke here to a phenomenon many fans are familiar with, and it should be reason enough to be wary of big jumps coincidentally timed with massive financial incentives. For players of this age, what goes up must come down, and the downturn is often far sharper than the upswing. Gavrikov, for the record, has the 10th largest contract-year leap within this sample of players. Not far below him is former L.A. King Matt Roy, a defenseman who earned a lot as a free agent last summer and serves as a potential warning sign. Like Gavrikov, Roy too looked like a defensively elite free agent, only to struggle to live up to his contract-year hype. While Roy was solid in his first season with Washington, he looked a lot closer to his 2022-23 level rather than his contract-year level, putting his contract on the wrong side of the 'good value' line. Not by a lot, but the math has changed on Roy as a result. The contract-year bump, as it often is, was a mirage. There are exceptions to the rule, but when it comes to free agents, if it feels too good to be true, it probably is. Gavrikov, having a career year at this age while staring down free agency, fits the bill. None of this is meant to take away from what Gavrikov accomplished last year for the Kings. It's just meant to be pragmatic about what to expect of Gavrikov's 30s — and not overpay for it. It's worth mentioning that I have previously been extremely wrong about Gavrikov, specifically at the 2023 trade deadline while he was with Columbus. An older version of the model did poorly with defensive players playing a lot of tough minutes on bad teams, wrongly rewarding 'efficiency' without taking into account that there's a reason players like Gavrikov played at the top of the lineup. There wasn't enough respect for the high likelihood that Gavrikov was in that role because he was truly the best option for it. The current version of the model is better at handling those problems and would've likened Gavrikov to a No. 4 at the time rather than replacement level (oops). Still wrong, but less wrong. Advertisement The point is that Gavrikov proved me completely wrong then (and since by leaping up the lineup), and there is certainly a chance he can do so again with last year's level serving as his new normal. With only six seasons under his belt and not a lot of taxing playoff miles on his body, there's a real chance Gavrikov is a late bloomer who can buck the usual age trend and have a strong career from 30 to 35. And while I do believe Gavrikov can age well, it's the current level that I'm less sure about, where a market correction next year wouldn't be surprising. Interestingly, that's what a comp-based age curve does forecast: a steep drop next season, but a relatively graceful curve after that. The model projects a path that has Gavrikov playing above-average defensive hockey for the next six years as a No. 2/3. The average cost of that comes in at around $6.5 million over the next seven seasons. That's a fair bit lower than the $7.6 million deal AFP Analytics is expecting for Gavrikov, though higher than Evolving Hockey's $5.6 million over four seasons. The height Gavrikov reached last season means there's room for some expected decline without major concern. A few of his comps — Johnny Boychuk, Ryan McDonagh, Paul Martin, Chris Tanev — maintained a high defensive level throughout their early 30s, enough to be optimistic about Gavrikov's future. But there's a reason there's also a lot of downside risk in every year of Gavrikov's deal, as the potential for a cliff at any point in his 30s is also very real. Marc Methot, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and David Savard were all great defenders at one point but fell off hard over a single-season span. In the blink of an eye, they were washed, and that's the risk with signing any rugged defensive defender for what are likely his twilight years. That's where figuring out the right length of term for Gavrikov is also crucial. Gavrikov's career trajectory has been a fascinating one, and he's proven himself well over the last few years with the Kings. He's looked like a legit defensive ace for the team and a guy who can be the missing piece for a team's top four. But it's hard not to be worried about what's next and whether last year's leap to defensive stardom can be repeated. Advertisement Gavrikov looks like one of the league's best defensive defensemen right now. Is that a contract-year mirage or a sign of what's to come? If a team is paying big money for the latter, they better be sure of it — and the odds aren't in their favour. — Data via Evolving-Hockey and AFP Analytics
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NHL free agency — Top defensemen available in 2025, including Aaron Ekblad
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, and NHL free agency is now less than two months away. Though there's not nearly as many high-end unrestricted free agent defensemen this year compared to last summer, there's still plenty of notable players looking to cash in July 1. And the competition to sign the top options will be fierce, since defensemen are always in high demand. Advertisement Whether it's a rebuilding franchise looking for a jumpstart, or a contender looking to get over the hump, teams will come calling for this batch of free agents. Let's take a look at the top 10 free agent defenseman in 2025. Related: NHL free agency — Top forwards available in 2025, including Mitch Marner 1. Aaron Ekblad Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Aaron Ekblad comes with some baggage after he was suspended 20 games this season for violating the NHL policy on performance enhancing drugs. But he's a 29-year-old right-shot defenseman with one Stanley Cup ring — and perhaps on his way to a second this spring. He's going to get paid. He's solid at both ends of the ice, has bite to his game and is a leader. Pretty much the whole package, no? 2. Vladislav Gavrikov Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Vladislav Gavrikov had perfect timing by putting together his best NHL season in a contract year. After spending three plus seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he became a key component to the Los Angeles Kings defense corps, and just had 30 points in 82 games with a plus-26 rating. He also chewed up big minutes on the top pair, averaging 23:05 of ice time per game. He'd be a perfect top-4 defenseman to bolster anyone's blue line at age 29. 3. Ivan Provorov Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images Ivan Provorov is another solid option, who can play in pretty anyone's top-four. He spent seven seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers before moving on to the Blue Jackets, where he just recorded 33 points in 82 games with a plus-11 rating as a solid top-pair two-way defender. He also eats big minutes, averaging 23:21 for the Blue Jackets this season, and has averaged up to 25 minutes a night previously. He hasn't missed a game in three seasons and is only 28 years old. Advertisement NHL Games Today: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule, Dates, Times, and Results 4. Dmitry Orlov Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Another rock-solid defenseman, Dmitry Orlov is a player that many teams would love to add to their blue line, even though he'll be 34 next season. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion remains a solid shut-down defenseman who slots in on the second pair, and had 28 points this season Can Carolina afford to lose him, especially since his contract should come in under his current $7.75 million AAV because of his age? 5. Tony DeAngelo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Tony DeAngelo resurrected his NHL career with the New York Islanders after a strong half season in the KHL. Due to injuries on their blue line, the Islanders played DeAngelo 23 minutes a night, and he handled the workload well, though he's more of a second- or third-pair guy on a really good team. DeAngelo had 19 points in 35 games and remains a solid puck mover and offensive threat. He's had issues with teammates in the past, but at 29, the hope is that he's more mature these days. Advertisement Also Read:: 2025 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Who do Islanders take with No. 1 pick? 6. Matt Grzelcyk Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images Matt Grzelcyk will be an intriguing option this summer if he hits the open market. While never much of a point scorer, the 31-year-old just set a career-high with 40 points in 82 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's also the first time he's suited up in all 82 games of a season. The Penguins are in a gray area after letting coach Mike Sullivan go and missing the playoffs for the third straight season, so it's hard to say what direction they'll go with Grzelyck. He's an affordable, reliable veteran and shouldn't have trouble landing a job. 7. Dante Fabbro Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Dante Fabbro had a terrific bounce-back season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after struggling for several seasons with the Nashville Predators. Just 26 years old, Fabbro registered a career-high 26 points in 62 games this season and scored nine goals this season, three of which were game-winners, both career-highs. Fabbro is also a right-hand shot, always a plus on the open market. 8. Ryan Lindgren Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Ryan Lindgren was a mainstay on the New York Rangers blue line for seven seasons, most often playing top-pair minutes alongside Adam Fox. He gives up the body night in and night out, and is as physical as they come. Of course, that's a detriment, too, because he's prone to injury and could wear down sooner rather than later. That's why the Rangers moved on from the heart-and-soul veteran and traded him to the Colorado Avalanche ahead of the deadline. Still, he's going to be a solid second-pair d-man for whoever signs him this summer. 9. Nate Schmidt Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images Known to be a fantastic teammate and dependable two-way defenseman, Nate Schmidt has been a part of several great defense corps over his time in the NHL. He played a huge part in the Vegas Golden Knights improbable trip to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season, and now is making an impact with the Florida Panthers, scoring three goals in the opening round and helping Florida take care of the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. He's 33 and been on five teams, so there's a good chance teams won't break the bank with him. But he'd be a nice addition to fill out someone's blue line in a supporting role. 10. John Klingberg Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images This is about as high risk high reward as it gets, but John Klingberg is set to become a free agent after once again trying to find his way back in the NHL. The 32-year-old hasn't played more than 17 games since the 2022-23 season, when he played 50. That being said, we're talking about a player who once scored 67 points from the blue line. While not nearly that player anymore, the right-hand shot just may be worth taking a shot in the dark on, especially for a rebuilding team that needs to fill out their blue line.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Vladislav Gavrikov faces uncertain future as Kings new GM Ken Holland takes charge: Report
Vladislav Gavrikov faces uncertain future as Kings new GM Ken Holland takes charge: Report (Image Source: Getty Images) Kings' future is in doubt as he is marching towards free agency on July 1. The rugged Russian defenseman is poised to sign a significant new contract, and new general manager Ken Holland has to decide if he wants to retain him. With Rob Blake absent and Holland now running the show, the Kings are starting a new era. But retaining Gavrikov, one of their most consistent players, could be one of Holland's largest challenges this offseason. Ken Holland must make crucial Vladislav Gavrikov decision big pay increase The Los Angeles Kings are undergoing transformation. General manager Rob Blake, who preceded him, was ousted after a string of failed playoff campaigns particularly against the Edmonton Oilers. Ken Holland is now in charge, and one of his first big assignments is deciding what to do with defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Vladislav Gavrikov joined the Kings from the Columbus Blue Jackets and emerged as a valuable contributor to the team. The 29-year-old defenseman last year registered five goals and 25 assists for 30 points. More importantly, he was a steady presence at defense and was instrumental in defending his own team's zone. Re-signing Vladislav Gavrikov is a priority, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports. But it will cost them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Her body cannot endure this level of pain; please help her. Donate For Health Learn More Undo Vladislav Gavrikov makes $5.875 million annually now, but his next deal may cost more than $7 million per year. That would be quite a raise and the Kings must determine whether they can afford it. Also Read: As The Los Angeles Kings Set The Early Tone In The 2025 NHL Playoffs, Connor McDavid And Leon Draisaitl Remain Under Pressure A long-term deal could keep Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence together One reason the Kings would prefer to keep Vladislav Gavrikov is that he is paired with young defenseman Jordan Spence. The two have formed a solid twosome on the blue line, and Spence is a promising young star in the making. He's signed for the 2026–27 season, and Holland would like to maintain the twosome so that he can build a solid defensive foundation in the future. Pagnotta believes the Kings might give Gavrikov a five- to seven-year contract. A lengthy deal would provide the team with stability, but the financial burden may be the issue. Holland is new to his position and most probably will want to make sound financial decisions, not necessarily large ones. Still, letting Vladislav Gavrikov walk could weaken the Kings' defense and hurt their playoff chances. Whether Holland agrees to a big raise or finds a different solution, Gavrikov's future will be one of the team's most important decisions this offseason. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
