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[New York Rangers]

Rangers set to face several changes as NHL, NHLPA near new CBA agreement

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesStephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The days of the New York Rangers walking into Madison Square Garden dressed in tailored suits and ties could soon be a thing of the past. As part of a new labor deal between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), a proposed change would eliminate the League’s long-standing dress code starting in the 2026-27 season — a change that will cause debates in a sport where tradition runs deep.

That is just one element of a broader Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) framework the League and players’ union are working to get done, with a public announcement possible as soon as Friday ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Wednesday that the two sides are closing in on an agreement that would extend the current CBA by four years, carrying through the 2029-30 season.

For those unaware, the CBA is essentially the agreement that governs everything from player salaries and contract lengths to health benefits, scheduling, rules, and travel. The current agreement, signed back in 2013 and extended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, is set to expire in September 2026.

“This whole process has been trending positive.” Bettman said following the Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas, where he gave as what he describes as a “quite extensive” update on the negotiations, “The relationship is in a great place. (NHLPA head) Marty [Walsh] and I have a terrific relationship. We don’t always agree on everything, but it’s constructive and professional. And so, I think things are good.”

The two sides are not ready to begin the formal ratification process just yet, as one final issue remains unresolved. Once an understanding is reached, both the Board of Governors and the NHLPA’s representatives will need to vote on it before it becomes official.

Reports state that changes could indicate an expanded regular season, new limits on loopholes, adjusted contract term limits, and updates to players benefits and rights.

Related: Dysfunctional Rangers focused more on ’emotional sh–‘ than playing hockey last season: Michael Peca

Biggest changes Rangers can expect with new CBA​

Dress code no more​

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

One change that’s likely to spark plenty of debate is the elimination of the NHL’s League’s long-standing dress code, which would go into effect starting in the 2026-27 season. Hockey is the only one of the four major American sports that requires players to wear suits on game days, and many fans feel it seperates hockey players from the rest — making them look professional and classy.

It’s a noticeable difference, especially for teams like the Rangers, when the MSG walk-ins have almost become a fashion show. From Henrik Lundqvist’s designer fits to Artemi Panarin’s flashy style or Mika Zibanejad’s classic look, the MSG hallway often doubles as a runway. The change will open the door for self-expression, something we see in the NBA and NFL all the time, but new territory for a league built on tradition.

Scheduling & structure​

Another major change coming in the new CBA is the expansion of the regular season from 82 to 84 games, starting in the 2026-27 season. For the Rangers, that means a more balanced schedule — and more games against division rivals. With the League now at 32 teams, the new format would have the Rangers play four games against every Metropolitan Division opponent, three against teams in the Atlantic, and two against every Western Conference club. That fixes the issue in the schedule where the Rangers only saw two division opponents three times a year.

To help manage the added games, the preseason would be cut down to four games, and veterans with over 100 NHL games of experience would only be allowed to appear in two of them. It gives younger players more preseason reps, and lessens the wear and tear on more established players.

Contract limits & LTIR changes​

The new CBA would also bring changes to contract limits, reducing the maximum deals moving forward. Extensions would be capped at seven years instead of eight, and unrestricted free agents would only be able to sign for a maximum of six years, down from the current seven. For a team like the Rangers with several key players either approaching the end of their contracts or due for an extension, the timing of these implications could be important.

Artemi Panarin is set to hit free agency in 2026, just before the new limits kick in. That means the sides would need to act fast if an eight-year extension is on the table, though that’s highly unlikely since Panarin will be 34 at that point. Braden Schneider is another name to watch. He’ll be an RFA in 2026 under the new rules, and the Rangers would lose the ability to lock him up for eight years unless a deal is reached beforehand.

The League is also planning to part ways with the deferred salary structures, a tactic used to spread cap hits out over time. Also, a new playoff salary cap system is expected to limit how teams use the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) loophole to stack rosters before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Player rights & benefits​

Another change is that teams would retain the rights to unsigned draft picks until that player turns 22, regardless of whether they’re playing in the NCAA, CHL, or overseas.

Another interesting addition would introduce full-time Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) positions. And off the ice, players would get expanded health insurance and post-career support, while playoff bonuses are set to double.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/nhl-news-and-rumors/changes-nhl-nhlpa-new-cba/

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers land 1st-round talent Malcolm Spence on Day 2 of 2025 NHL Draft: ‘great pick’

Though the New York Rangers didn’t have a pick in the first-round of the 2025 NHL Draft, many hockey experts believe they landed a first-round talent anyway on Day 2 of the proceedings, when they selected Malcolm Spence No. 43 overall.

That the highly-skilled forward from Erie in the OHL lasted 11 picks into the second round surprised many draft gurus, with Mike Kelly commenting on social media “Surprised Malcolm Spence fell to 43. Great pick by the Rangers.”

Certainly, the Rangers were pleased that Spence was still there when they were on the clock for the first time in this year’s draft Saturday.

“We’ve valued him for a few years now … and we were happy he was there at 43,” Rangers director of player personnel and amateur scouting John Lilley told reporters after the draft concluded. “I think he was projected to go quite a bit higher. So when the opportunity presented itself, we were thrilled to get him in that spot.”

A day to remember forever. pic.twitter.com/PfkPVy1pK4

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2025

Spence is a big (6-foot-1, 203 pounds), rugged forward, one who’s a complete player at both ends of the ice. He scored 32 goals and finished with 73 points in 65 games last season, and totaled 177 points (67 goals, 110 assists) in 195 games over the past three seasons with Erie.

A 200-foot player who skates extremely well and is respected for his high character on and off the ice, Spence projects to be a trusted middle-six forward one day in the NHL.

“I’m a fast, physical player that plays with a lot of pace and high-end skill,” Spence said when asked for his own personal scouting report. “I’m going to be a guy that plays in all situations. I’m going to be a guy that’s called upon for his teammates whatever they need.”

An alternate captain with Erie, Spence added, “I’ve been a leader my whole life, going to continue to do that.”

Spence lost about 15 pounds last season because of a tongue infection which limited his intake of solid food. That, and inconsistency with his overall game, likely knocked Spence out of the first round, though that hardly seemed to bother him.

“I was New York’s first pick and I have some family out there,” he said. “It worked out really well. I’m really excited that they took a chance on me and believed in me when a lot of the other people didn’t.”

Spence is committed to the University of Michigan next fall when he’ll turn 19. He and the Rangers believe this is the best path for his development, not unlike with their top pick last year, defenseman EJ Emery, who’s playing collegiately at North Dakota.

“There are some parts of my game, maybe skill-wise, that might be ready. But I know physically, I’m not,” Spence explained. “I know going to Michigan is going to give me more runway time. However long it takes for me to jump in and be an impact player, that’s what I want to do. I don’t really have a timeline on it. I’m not going to rush things.”

Spence is also thrilled to join his good friend and former Erie teammate Carey Terrance in the Rangers organization. Terrance, Erie’s captain this past season, was acquired by the Rangers from the Anaheim Ducks in the recent Chris Kreider trade.

“It’s something pretty special,” Spence said. “Carey’s one of my closest friends. He usually spends time at my house during the summer, and will come down and hang out. And beyond hockey, we’re just really, really good friends off the ice. So, for me to be in an organization where I have one of my best friends there, it’s a pretty cool feeling, knowing that I get to be there with Carey on the daily. Just like I did the past three years, it’s pretty remarkable. Really excited to see him.”

Related: New York Rangers 2025 NHL Draft tracker: Selection, analysis for each pick

Malcolm Spence heads Rangers 2025 draft class of 8 players​

GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite sending their first-round pick (No. 12 overall) to the Pittsburgh Penguins to complete the J.T. Miller trade, the Rangers had eight picks heading into Day 2 of the draft, and held on to each one. Their eight selections almost equaled their total from the 2023 and 2024 drafts combines (nine selections).

Five of the eight selections were defensemen. That included 6-foot-5 bruiser Sean Barnhill, whom the Rangers grabbed at No. 70 overall in the third round. New York also landed 6-foot-4 defenseman Evan Passmore from Barrie of the OHL in the sixth round (No. 171 overall).

Selecting towering prospects is a growing trend for the Rangers. Adam Edstrom (6-foot-6, 2019 draft), Matt Rempe (6-foot-9, 2020), Dylan Roobroeck (6-foot-7, 2023) and Nathan Aspinall (6-foot-7, 2024) preceded Barnhill and Passmore.

In recent years, the Rangers drafted mostly United States-born prospects, but that changed this weekend. Only one of their picks this year — Barnhill, an Arizona native who played for Dubuque in the USHL — is from the U.S. Spence and Passmore were born in Canada; and the rest are from Europe.

#NYR 2025 Draft Class:

No. 43 – LW Malcolm Spence
No. 70 – RHD Sean Barnhill
No. 89 – LHD Artyom Gonchar
No. 111 – C Mikkel Eriksen
No. 139 – LHD Zeb Lindgren
No. 166 – RW Samuel Jung
No. 171 – RHD Evan Passmore
No. 203 – LHD Felix Färhammar

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) June 28, 2025

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ent-malcolm-spence-2025-nhl-draft-great-pick/

 

[New York Rangers]

New York Rangers Daily: Reason for optimism after NHL Draft; Mitch Marner sign & trade discussed

Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesKirby Lee-Imagn Images

Let’s be honest. No matter how positive or pessimistic you are in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 NHL Draft, we really won’t be able to properly assess if the New York Rangers did a good job or not with their eight selections until several years down the road.

So, we’re not posting a winners and losers list from the 2025 draft here at Forever Blueshirts any time soon.

But it’s hard not to be excited about the Rangers landing Malcolm Spence with their first pick of the draft, No. 43 overall. The 18-year-old forward is big (6-foot-1, 203 pounds), strong and fast, and scored 32 goals in 65 games with Erie of the OHL last season. He’s also a committed two-way player, who plays a 200-foot game and can be trusted defensively.

Toss in his well-earned reputation as a natural leader and high-character person, on and off the ice, and you can see why so many hockey experts labeled Spence as the steal of the draft.

Yes, there are inconsistencies in his game. Yes, he had an infection that caused him to lose a lot of weight last season because he couldn’t eat solid food for an extended stretch. Yes, even Spence admitted Saturday he needs to mature more physically before he’s ready for the NHL.

It’s not all perfect for the University of Michigan commit.

But, for sure, there’s plenty there to feel really good about Malcolm Spence. And the simple fact that the Rangers made eight picks in the draft — after totaling nine the previous two years combined — is reason for some optimism. The odds have to be better that you hit on some of these players the more picks you have, right?

John Lilley, who heads up the Rangers draft each year, said they saw something in 6-foot-5 defenseman Sean Barnhill, the No. 70 overall pick, who many experts thought was a reach. Some draft gurus were smitten with Norwegian center Mikkel Eriksen, New York’s fourth-round pick. Others raved about sixth-round pick Evan Passmore, a 6-foot-4 defenseman from Barrie in the OHL.

That’s all well and good. But no rushing to judgement here. Let these boys develop into men as players in the coming years before we decide to grade this draft class.

Next step: Rangers development camp in Westchester next week.

New York Rangers news​

Here’s our complete draft tracker for the Rangers, with analysis on each selection this year.

The Rangers are being lauded for making a “great pick” by landing Malcolm Spence in the second round, No. 43 overall.

Spence and Matthew Schaefer were roommates at Erie and now they are on opposite sides of the intense Rangers-Islanders rivalry. Even Spence admitted that it’s a bit “awkward” now.

For his part, Schaefer immediately fueled the rivalry with the Rangers after the Islanders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Speaking of the Rangers and Islanders, Igor Shesterkin was selected as the top Russian goalie in the NHL by none other than his local counteroart — and bestie — Ilya Sorokin in a recent interview.

Looking ahead to NHL free agency, which begins Tuesday, here are the best available players on the open market for the Rangers and other teams to consider.

NHL news and rumors​

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sportsnaut: Not all of the top storylines from NHL Draft weekend related directly to the draft.

NHL.com: Here’s really good breakdown by Mike Morreale of all the top draft-related moments this past weekend.

The Athletic ($$): You already know that we don’t like quick winners/losers takes after the draft. But, we do respect Scott Wheeler enough to share his winners and losers list.

TSN: So, the decentralized draft? “Early returns certainly weren’t positive,” Chris Johnston reported on Insider Trading. That might be an understatement.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings fortified their goaltending position when they acquired John Gibson in a big trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs are desperately trying to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for UFA Mitch Marner.

NYI Hockey Now: After a very busy weekend, the Islanders reportedly are close to signing defenseman Alexander Romanov to a long-term contract extension.

TSN: The Calgary Flames signed pending RFA defenseman Kevin Bahl to a six-year, $32.1 million contract.

Florida Hockey Now: Panthers general manager Bill Zito is still confident he can re-sign pending UFAs Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad before July 1 free agency, but admits he has a “Plan B and Plan C” if unable.

Daily Faceoff: The St. Louis Blues quietly took care of an important piece of business Saturday by re-signing backup goalie Joel Hofer to a two-year, $6.8 million contract.

Sportsnet: Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman admitted he’s got a lot on his plate at the moment, but did say he plans to work on a contract extension for coach Kris Knoblauch “in time.”

Sportsnet: Right when the Rangers were selecting forward Malcolm Spence in the second round of the NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators were announcing that they acquired defenseman Jordan Spence (no relation) in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings.

Seattle Times: General manager Jason Botterill said that the Kraken will not be buying out the remainder of Philipp Grubauer’s contract, despite the goalie’s poor tenure in Seattle, to date.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...-nhl-draft-mitch-marner-sign-trade-discussed/

 

[New York Rangers]

Junior roomies Malcolm Spence, Matthew Schaefer set to join Rangers-Islanders rivalry

Malcolm Spence and Matthew Schaefer were teammates and roommates with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. But they’ll be on opposite sides of the New York Rangers rivalry with the New York Islanders after each was taken with his new team’s first pick at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles.

The Islanders selected Schaefer, a defenseman, with the No. 1 pick on Friday night. The Rangers, who didn’t have a first-round selection, chose Spence on Saturday with their second-rounder, the 43rd overall pick.

Schaefer took a jab at the Rangers a few minutes after being selected, not knowing that his roomie would soon be a Blueshirt the next day.

A day to remember forever. pic.twitter.com/PfkPVy1pK4

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2025

“I’ve heard a lot about that rivalry,” Schaefer told the NHL Draft Class podcast. “I hate losing, so I’m looking forward to going and just beating them every time we play them.”

He and Spence played together with Erie the past two seasons. Now they’re in line to be rivals.

“He’s one of my closest friends, and you want to have your buddies succeed, but a little awkward now with the Rangers and Islanders,” Spence said.

Their friendship/rivalry wouldn’t be unique. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin and his Islanders counterpart, Ilya Sorokin, compete fiercely on the ice but have been buddies since their days playing in Russia. Of course, they square off at opposite ends of the ice and don’t have to make contact with each other, as Spence and Schaefer will when they face each other.

Related: New York Rangers 2025 NHL Draft tracker: Selection, analysis for each pick

Junior roommates Malcolm Spence, Matthew Schaefer join Rangers rivalry with Islanders​

Spence didn’t immediately put the Rangers-Islanders rivalry angle together – he didn’t make the connection until a reporter asked him about Schaefer and their relationship.

“The second you said it I was thinking about it,” Spence said. “It’s a little rivalry now, but I know with ‘Schaef’, we want to be competitive so it’s going to bring the best out of each other. I’m really excited for both of our careers.”

The junior teammates won’t face each other right away. Schaefer is likely to begin his career on Long Island in the fall, but Spence is headed for the University of Michigan – where he’ll try to prove the rest of the League wrong for letting him slide into the second round. He was ranked 17th on NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American skaters, but 17 skaters ranked after him were selected before him in the draft.

“I’m really excited to get going.”

More from Malcolm Spence: https://t.co/OfxmJR7kwv pic.twitter.com/Vtdh2s5HJJ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 28, 2025

“I think there were some expectations that were set for myself and obviously I went a little later than I thought I was going to go,” Spence explained. “For me, that’s just going to be more motivation. I’m really happy that I’m the Rangers’ first pick. To me, that shows they really believe in me. To go to an organization like that and play in front of that fan base in that city, it’s something cool. I’m just really excited.”

Spence will see one familiar face at Rangers development camp next week. He’ll be with another Erie teammate, forward Carey Terrance, who was acquired on June 12 in the trade that sent longtime Rangers forward Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks.

Spence and Terrance played on the same line in Erie the past two seasons. Spence had 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists) in 65 games this season. Terrance, a 20-year-old who was taken by the Ducks with the 59th overall pick in 2023, had 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 45 games.

GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK

“That was my first thought when I put the jersey on, maybe I’ll get to play with Carey again, which is pretty cool,” Spence said. “Definitely will give him a call after this.”

Spence has gotten a taste of the Big Apple. His sister, Camille, a dancer and actress, recently graduated from Pace University, which has a campus in downtown Manhattan — a subway ride from Madison Square Garden.

“We were in New York for my sister’s graduation, so we got to tour around there,” he said. “We just went around the city, walked around. It’s a pretty cool spot. Really excited to go there and be in the big NYC. It doesn’t get better than being with the Rangers. It’s New York City. You’re in front of the bright lights and for me, I thrive playing in atmospheres like that.”

Schaefer won’t be far away at Islanders development camp — his first stop in trying in trying to live up to being the No. 1 pick in the draft.

In the meantime, there will be texts and chirps — “We’ll definitely have some words, for sure,” Spence said.

They’re still friends. But the rivalry is on.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...haefer-set-to-join-rangers-islanders-rivalry/

 

[New York Rangers]

5 realistic Rangers options in 2025 NHL free agency, including Vladislav Gavrikov

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesIsaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers head into the start of NHL free agency with approximately $13.14 million in salary cap space, and without a resolution yet on restricted free agents K’Andre Miller and Will Cuylle. This will hinder what the Rangers will be able to accomplish once the free agency begins Tuesday at Noon ET, but you’d have to think they’ll still be involved to some degree.

To assume the Rangers will run it back with the exact roster that didn’t make the playoffs this past season doesn’t seem like something team owner James Dolan would sign off on. Even minimal additions will have to be made perhaps without a resolution on some of the rest of the roster, cautiously of course. Teams are allowed to be 10 percent over the cap during the offseason.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it’s possible July 1 comes and goes without all their questions answered. But, let’s dive into some realistic free agency targets for the Rangers.

Related: Zac Jones, Arthur Kaliyev don’t receive qualifying offers from Rangers, become free agents July 1

Vladislav Gavrikov (D)​

The hulking 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive defenseman has been linked to the Rangers all offseason. With the Rangers looking to be harder to play against on the back end, it would be difficult to find a better solution in the market.

The mutual interest and excellent fit are well and good. But Gavrikov won’t come cheaply. Not after Ivan Provorov, the best Gavrikov comp as a top-four, left-shot defenseman, re-signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday for seven years at $8.5 million annually.

Ouch.

Still, Gavrikov appears to be the Rangers’ top UFA target this summer. So, let’s see what general manager Chris Drury might have up his sleeve to get this deal done.

Gavrikov is a stable, physical presence, and would greatly bolster a back end that lacks jam and physicality. The 29-year-old also had 30 points last season and played all 82 games, averaging 23+ minutes TOI.

He’d also be the most solid partner Adam Fox has had. with the Rangers, no disrespect to Ryan Lindgren.

Lars Eller (C)​

Though the Rangers would likely prefer to add a third-line center at the level of Christian Dvorak, the limited cap space makes this hard to imagine. Especially with other teams needing immediate center depth even more so than the Rangers, driving prices up. So, enter the bargain option that is 2018 Stanley Cup champion Lars Eller.

At 36 years old, Eller is still an above-average skater, per NHL Edge. He has good size, is defensively responsible and committed to the forecheck, which would be a welcomed addition to what could be a very youthful third line no matter how you slice it. Add in that he’s played previously under Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, and there’s reason to believe Eller would be a solid bargain signing on a one-year deal.

This past season, he split time between Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals following an early season trade, finishing with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 80 games.

Nick Bjugstad (C)​

This center has been linked to the Rangers in the past and could also come at a discount after a down season with Utah. He’s younger (32 years old) and bigger (6 foot-6) than Eller, though not nearly as consistent.

After scoring eight goals and totaling 19 points in 66 games this past season, Bjugstad may not have big market for his services. So, signing a one-year “prove it” deal makes sense here for both sides.

There is value in Bjugstad’s all-around game. He scored 22 goals and 45 points for the Coyotes in 2023-24. He’s bounced around the League, but he’d be affordable and motivated to land a richer contract next summer, in theory, if the Rangers signed him.

Joe Veleno (C)​

Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Here’s another center option for the Rangers. Veleno was bought out by the Seattle Kraken and is now an unrestricted free agent. He had only eight goals and 17 points last season, and has never lived up to being a first-round pick (No. 30 overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2018. Veleno has 38 goals and 81 points in 306 NHL games.

But the Rangers could use a youthful center with NHL experience, and Veleno is 25 years old. So, there’s room for growth here if the Rangers believe in the player. He’d be an affordable option that could grow into a longer-term bottom-six option.

At one time, there was little doubt about Veleno, who a decade ago was granted exceptional status in the QMJHL at just 15 years old. Perhaps Veleno can be the next Morgan Geekie, who wasn’t qualified by the Kraken at 24 years old in 2022-23 before he signed with the aging Boston Bruins. Since then, Geekie’s scored 17 and 33 goals in two seasons. That could be a reach for Veleno, but it’s worth taking a long look at him if you’re the Rangers.

Dmitry Orlov (D) / Brian Dumoulin (D)​

If the Rangers don’t sign Gavrikov, they need a Plan B option. That could simply be re-signing Miller and keeping Carson Soucy as their to play the left side on the top two pairings.

Or the Rangers could pivot to a veteran stop-gap option. There are two who should be pretty affordable, each 33 years old, and a Stanley Cup champion.

Brian Dumoulin was very good splitting last season between the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils, especially in the playoffs when the Devils defense was decimated by injuries. He’s not a star, but he is a stout defender that can still play on your second pair. He also played most of his career under Sullivan with the Penguins, including as a regular on two Cup- winning teams in 2016 and 2017.

Dmitry Orlov had 28 points and was plus-16, averaging 20 minutes TOI over 76 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He was exposed in the Eastern Conference Final by the Florida Panthers, but can still play effectively on a second pairing

Neither is a sexy option. But each could be a decent short-term solution.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ions-2025-nhl-free-agency-vladislav-gavrikov/

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers land prized defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov in NHL free agency

Ryan Sun-Imagn ImagesRyan Sun-Imagn Images

After a largely quiet offseason to this point, the New York Rangers made a big splash when the NHL free-agent market opened Tuesday, signing defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a reported seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million average annual value).

Though a significant investment, Gavrikov’s contract is a relative bargain on the open market. Gavrikov was clearly the best defenseman available after Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers) and Ivan Provorov (Columbus Blue Jackets) re-signed with their teams before July 1.

By comparison, Provorov, who’s also a left-shot, top-four defenseman, will get $8.5 million annually on his new deal with Columbus. That Gavrikov took $1.5 million less per year shows his desire to play for the Rangers

The rugged 29-year-old is a perfect fit for the Rangers, who were desperate to add a steady, reliable, physical left-shot d-man to play in their top four. It’s expected that Gavrikov, who averaged a career-high 23:05 TOI with the Los Angeles Kings last season, will team up with Adam Fox on the Rangers top pair. Fox’s longtime partner, Ryan Lindgren, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche last season and signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.

Now, the Rangers must decide what to do with K’Andre Miller. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, and the Rangers have been looking to trade him all offseason, but have yet to do so. They are reluctant to sign Miller to a long-term, big-money deal due to his inconsistent play, and now have very little salary cap space to keep him.

There are several reports Tuesday that the Rangers are closing in on a trade that would send Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Rangers entered Tuesday with approximately $13 million in cap space, before signing Gavrikov, and still needing to re-sign RFA forward Will Cuylle, who’s due a sizeable raise after scoring 20 goals and finishing tied for third in the NHL with 301 hits last season, and Miller or his possible replacement.

Related: New York Rangers 2025 NHL free agency tracker: Latest signings, analysis, trades, rumors

Rangers sign top free-agent target Vladislav Gavrikov, upgrade defense corps​

Ryan Sun-Imagn Images

This is the latest — and most impactful — move since December to revamp the Rangers defense corps. The Rangers traded top-four defensemen Jacob Trouba and Lindgren last season, along with rookie d-man Victor Mancini. They also didn’t extend a qualifying offer to Zac Jones, allowing the 24-year-old to become an unrestricted free agent Monday.

Since December, New York added Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen, Calvin de Haan and Carson Soucy in trades, and now signed Gavrikov. All but de Haan, a UFA, remain on the roster. Fox and Braden Schneider round out the returning group, and Matthew Robertson could find his way on to the roster as a 6th/7th defenseman next season.

Gavrikov gives the Rangers an absolute thumper on the blue line, capable of bone-rattling hits, as well as quick passes out of the zone and a shut-down capability. He had 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) last season, second most in his career behind the 33 points (five goals, 28 assists) he racked up with the Blue Jackets in 2021-22.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/sign-vladislav-gavrikov-nhl-free-agency/