Jakob Chychrun has long been an elusive target for the New York Rangers. The team had hopes of acquiring the defenseman first when he was on the trade market with the Arizona Coyotes and again when the Ottawa Senators made him available last summer.
More recently, there was speculation that the Washington Capitals might allow the 29-year-old to reach free agency, giving the Rangers a chance to clear cap space and sign the top-pair defenseman.
However, that possibility was officially crushed on Tuesday when the Capitals locked Chychrun into an eight-year, $72 million contract, carrying a hefty $9 million annual cap hit.
As mentioned, the idea of Chychrun joining the Rangers always seemed far-fetched. Now, it’s completely off the table.
With several top defensemen already securing deals with their current teams this offseason, the question remains: who is still available if general manager Chris Drury wants to strengthen the Rangers’ defense via free agency?
One intriguing option is Vladislav Gavrikov. At 29 years old, the left-shot defenseman is having an outstanding season as a key piece of the Los Angeles Kings’ blue line. While it’s unlikely the Kings let him walk, should he hit free agency, Gavrikov would arguably be the best defenseman on the market. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he’s big, durable, and logs over 23 minutes per game while contributing offensively and excelling in his own zone. His next contract will likely be a significant one, but he would be an ideal partner for Adam Fox on the Rangers’ top defensive pair.
