Blue Jackets Must Re-Sign Gavrikov
By Curtis Deem
As we enter the real grind of the NHL schedule, the Blue Jackets have gotten answers to some of their questions about what the future of this roster may look like. Injuries have thrown a wrench into many of their plans for this season, but they have also provided opportunity for other players to showcase their value. What this has highlighted for me: this team has to keep Vladislav Gavrikov around.
Gavrikov came over from Russia in 2019 and was thrust right into the lineup for the team’s playoff run (again, due to injuries). Almost immediately, he endeared himself to his teammates and fans because he just fit so naturally into the lineup and locker room. He spent his rookie season paired with veteran David Savard, and the two were an effective shutdown pair that gave the team some stability on the back end after losing a ton of talent in the offseason.
He’s never been a big standout player, and that’s really one of the best compliments you can give him. Originally a 6th round pick (#159 overall, 2015), he’s just quietly become a steady top-four defenseman, who wears a letter on his jersey and takes the toughest opposition assignments on a nightly basis. He’s also been able to stay relatively healthy, which is surprising considering his style of play and willingness to block shots.
The problem at hand: Vlad needs a new contract. His three year deal at $2.8m AAV is expiring after this season, and there hasn’t been much discussion in the media about a potential extension. This has led to his name coming up in trade rumors, which in my opinion, would be a huge mistake.
Why they cannot trade Vlad…
With Zach Werenski out for the year, and rumors that Jake Bean may have suffered the same fate, the Jackets have been forced to reach deep into their depth to ice an NHL team. Call-ups Jake Christiansen and Gavin Bayreuther are fine in the short term, but it’s become pretty obvious that neither of these guys are a viable long-term solution to play in the team’s top-four. Maybe you can keep one of them around in a third pairing/depth role, but beyond that, it’s asking too much.
The team does have some nice prospects coming along, but not many of them are left shot defensemen. And more importantly, they’re mostly offensive-minded guys. The other thing about prospects is that, they’re just prospects until they become NHL players. Before they start making a difference, you’re just hoping they’ll eventually make a difference.
So take this into consideration: the team trades Vladislav Gavrikov now, and for the next 2-3 years while their prospects marinate, the left side defense depth is: Zach Werenski, and Jake Bean; then two guys whose contracts expire after this season, Jake Christiansen (RFA), Gavin Bayreuther (UFA), and a handful of recent mid-late round NHL draft picks who have never played an NHL game.
That seems like it would be poor management – especially when you consider Werenski and Bean being out with serious, long-term injuries. What happens if they both run into injuries again next season? Vlad is currently the third most experienced defenseman signed to a contract by the team. Which says a lot, because he’s only in his fourth NHL season.
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