Rangers News & Rumors: Zibanejad, Gavrikov, Lafreniere

This all but confirms Zibanejad will be staying with the Rangers, despite some speculation he’d be open to a move. He remains under contract with the Rangers through the 2029-30 season with a $8.5 million cap hit. 

Rangers Linked to Gavrikov

In a recent tidbit from Arthur Staple of The Athletic on X (formerly Twitter), the Rangers were linked to Vladislav Gavrikov as a potential option for their blue line if they can find the cap space to do so, which they seemed to have with the Kreider trade. 

Gavrikov, who is 29 years old, was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft at 159th overall. This season, he scored five goals and added 25 assists for 30 points through 82 games with the Los Angeles Kings. Throughout his career, he has scored 29 goals and added 106 assists for 135 points through 435 games, and while his defensive game was criticized early in his career, he has improved that part of his game significantly. He is likely looking for a short-term deal worth around $7.5-8 million annually, and he would help improve the Rangers’ defensive depth in a big way. 

Lafreniere Trade Speculation Dying Down, But Reports Remain Conflicted

Arthur Staple of The Athletic didn’t list Alexis Lafreniere as an untouchable for the Rangers, but Elliotte Friedman mentioned that it’s not quite clear if the youngster is available on the trade market right now, and if he is, it’s not a widely known fact by many teams. 

Lafreniere, who is entering the first season of his seven-year extension, will have a $7.45 million cap hit, which is enticing for any team looking to find players to build around. As a 23-year-old with plenty of potential, rebuilding and retooling teams could look to offer up an impressive trade package to entice the Rangers to trade him, but it doesn’t seem likely that he’s going to get moved. If he does, it will take a lot. 

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