The New York Rangers' blueline took a massive hit when Adam Fox suffered a long-term injury. It'll be production by committee for New York in the defender's absence, as the blueline will need to try and fill that hole. While Vladislav Gavrikov might not have much of an offensive past, Rangers' head coach Mike Sullivan is liking what he is seeing from their offseason addition.
“Well, I don't know that we thought 20-something games in he'd have five goals. Obviously, his core competency is his ability to defend,” Sullivan said. “He's hard to play against. He's one of the better defending defensemen, we think, in the league. Having said that, we believe he has the ability to help our offense.”
Gavrikov's offensive output might be the product of a bit more shooting luck, but Sullivan sees some significant offensive tendencies in the defender. It's possible that his past head coaches didn't recognize his potential or do anything to unlock it, which is ironic given some of Sullivan's past issues with offensive defensemen. Nevertheless, the head coach is singing Gavrikov's praises.
“Whether it be with outlet passes or joining the rush or being active off the offensive blue line,” Sullivan continued. “I won't lie, I'm surprised with how effective he's been just with his instincts. In particular, the way he jumps off the offensive blue line.”
The coaching staff isn't looking for Gavrikov to become the next Fox in his absence. However, in an up-and-down year for the Rangers, any bit of offense will help them move forward.
