The New York Rangers signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to be the defense-minded partner for Adam Fox, and he’s done everything they could have asked of him when it comes to making life easier for goalie Igor Shesterkin. But they’re getting more offense than they ever could have expected.
“He’s a great defenseman, and he can play offense,” Shesterkin said Tuesday after his fellow Russian’s overtime winner gave the Rangers a 3-2 victory against the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden. “I’m not shocked he scored the OT goal.”
Gavrikov didn’t score more than six goals in any of his first seven NHL seasons.