Where Rangers signing of Vladislav Gavrikov ranks among 2025 NHL free agents
With his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, rolling into Madison Square Garden on Monday, it feels like a good time to assess just how good the free-agent signing of Vladislav Gavrikov is for the New York Rangers this season.
The Rangers signed Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract on July 1, and he’s been worth every penny in his first season on Broadway following two-plus seasons in Hollywood. The 30-year-old defenseman is as advertised as a stalwart on the top defense pair, an absolute rock logging a career-high 23:49 TOI, nearly a minute more than his final season in L.A.
He’s been at his best alongside Adam Fox. In 39 games paired together, they have an expected goal share of 58.28 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, and the Rangers outscored opponents so far 22-17 at 5v5 with Gavrikov and Fox on the ice together.
It’s exactly what the Rangers envisioned when signing Gavrikov. They didn’t foresee Fox missing 27 games due to a pair of injuries, and Gavrikov stepping up in all situations to help plug leaks in teh Rangers defense corps without the former Norris Trophy winner. Gavrikov’s metrics took a hit paired with Braden Schneider, but the eye test tells you that he remained playing at an extremely high level.
Though defensive excellence was expected from Gavrikov, his career-best production offensively is a big and welcome surprise. He recorded a career-high three points in a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, including his 13th goal, which is seven more than his previous career-best with the Kings (6) in 2023-24.
And those three power-play goals and six power-play assists? They’re the first in Gavrikov’s career, covering better than 500 games, considering that was his never role in the past. Now, he’s a PP2 staple.
His 30 points in 66 games are three off his career high of 33, set with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2021-22. His 13 goals are most among Rangers defensemen, tied for sixth among all Blueshirts skaters, and tied for eighth among all NHL defensemen.
Speaking of rankings, where does Gavrikov’s signing rank among 2025 NHL unrestricted free agents? Let’s break down the best signings here, noting that we won’t include players who re-signed with their teams ahead of July 1, like Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Sam Bennett with the Florida Panthers, or Ivan Provorov with the Blue Jackets. That also excludes Mitch Marner, who signed with the Vegas Golden Knights after being traded there by the Toronto Maple Leafs in late June.
T5. Alex Lyon – Buffalo Sabres
When Alex Lyon signed a two-year, $3 million contract on July 1, it barely caused a ripple in the NHL newswire. But it was a prescient depth signing by the Sabres, who’ve relied on the 33-year-old to make 30 starts this season, amid injuries to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, mediocre play by Colten Ellis, and with Devon Levi still growing his game in the AHL. Now he’s the No. 1 on the hottest team in the NHL, posting a 19-8-3 record with with a 2.62 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and two shutouts — all for a $1.5 million salary cap hit.
T5. Dan Vladar – Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers long sought a reliable No. 1 goalie. They finally found one in Dan Vladar, a career-long backup with the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames, whom they signed to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. The 28-year-old is 21-11-7 in a career-high 41 games (40 starts) and is a major reason the Flyers remain alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race. His 2.46 GAA is far and away the best of Vladar’s career.
4. Brent Burns – Colorado Avalanche
Still seeking his first Stanley Cup championship, Brent Burns agreed to a one-year, $1 million team-friendly deal with the Colorado Avalanche. The ageless 41-year-old defenseman’s done his part to lift the Avalanche to the top of the NHL standings and make them the favorite to win the Cup. Burns recently passed former Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle for the second-most consecutive games played in NHL history (990), and partners with Josh Manson on Colorado’s second D pair, combining for a 56.79 percent goal share 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. He’s an absolute steal, even at his advanced age.
3. Nate Schmidt – Utah Mammoth
After winning his first Stanley Cup championship last spring with the Panthers, Nate Schmidt cashed in on a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Utah Mammoth. With a championship pedigree and long-held reputation as one of the great locker-room guys in the NHL, he’s helped provide the Mammoth with a steady veteran presence and reliable two-way play. The 34-year-old defenseman averages 20:04 TOI in a much bigger role in Utah than last season with Florida, and is a big reason why the Mammoth hold the top wild card in the Western Conference.
2. Anthony Mantha – Pittsburgh Penguins
Anthony Mantha is second on the Pittsburgh Penguins with 25 goals and tied for second with 51 points, trailing only legendary captain Sidney Crosby in each category, making him one of the best free agent signings last offseason. That he’s helped the Penguins become one of the most pleasant surprises in the NHL this season only adds to him being such a solid signing. As does his steal of a deal — one year for $2.5 million — which came off an injury-plagued 2024-25 season.
1. Vladislav Gavrikov – New York Rangers
The only blemish for Gavrikov is that his outstanding career-best season didn’t help elevate the Rangers back into the playoffs after also missing them last season. We’ll also see how this seven-year contract plays out down the road as he gets older. But for this season, Gavrikov is the best of the best from the 2025 free-agent class.
