Originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in the sixth round (#159 overall) at the 2015 Draft, Gavrikov took his time getting to the NHL – opting to spend four seasons in Russia before coming to North America. He stepped right into the fold with the Jackets to help with their playoff run in 2019, before joining the roster full-time for the 2019-20 season. Vlad took in heavy minutes almost right away, skating on the second defense pair with David Savard.
He spent the next three full seasons in Columbus, establishing himself as a solid second pairing defender, capable of playing in a shutdown role while also providing a touch of offense.