Rangers’ big free agent wants to leave New York yet?

The New York Rangers’ 2025-26 season has fallen apart and as a result, much of the roster could be dismantled before the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

Sending Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings was the first shoe to drop, and it could be the precursor to many more — including a possible surprise move involving Vladislav Gavrikov less than a year into his tenure in the Big Apple.

While nothing is certain, former NHLer analyst Mike Rupp recently said he heard Gavrikov is understandably unhappy with the Rangers’ direction and may already be having second thoughts — especially now that his good friend Panarin, who helped lure him to New York, is gone.

Rupp said:

“There are a lot of rumors – you don’t know what is true. I hear Gavrikov saying: ‘Where is the direction of this team?’ This isn’t necessarily what he signed up for, you know what I mean? So I wonder where some of these decisions are as these players move forward. We had created a team, this is where we are now, this is where we are going, we sent that letter. Now you have some players who may need to reevaluate some things as well.

The 30-year-old Gavrikov is only in the first year of the seven-year, $49 million contract he signed to join the Rangers as a UFA this summer. He scored 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) through his first 57 games with the team.

There would be great interest in Vladislav Gavrikov

If Gavrikov informed general manager Chris Drury that he is not interested in this retool/rebuild, the interest from competing teams in the league would be significant.

The veteran has proven himself as one of the more reliable defensive backs in the game, and his playing style is well suited to playoff hockey, experience he has from his time with both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings.

Detroit, Anaheim, Carolina, Utah, Boston, Colorado, Dallas and even a possible return to Los Angeles are just some of the landing spots that could make sense, depending on whether they can find a way to accommodate his $7 million salary.

Rangers fans were impressed with Panarin’s return, so if Drury and company want to receive a more meaningful haul to help build for the future, trading a player like Gavrikov could deliver that. While such a move still seems unlikely, nothing should be ruled out given how quickly things have unraveled in New York.

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