NY Rangers' Defenseman Potentially Wanting a Trade Makes Sense

Will a defenseman from the New York Rangers potentially want to be traded?

Nov 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; General view of a flag being waved by New York Rangers staff during the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. / John Jones-Imagn Images

With the offseason starting to heat up, the New York Rangers are expected to be an active team both in the trade market and free agency. Coming off two straight years of missing the playoffs, turning things around is going to be a challenge. 

Now that the playoffs have come to an end, the Rangers are a team that will be hoping to make some moves to improve this summer. They have retooled quite a bit over the last couple of years, but the results on the ice have not been great. 

New York did have some injuries last year to key players, but they finished with the third-worst record in the league. Due to the struggles, the Rangers moving more talent this offseason makes sense and they do still have a few desirable assets. 

Center Vincent Trocheck appears to be one of the most likely players to be traded this summer. The veteran has a very affordable contract and is still a capable middle-six center for a contender. Furthermore, New York might move on from defenseman Braden Schneider, who is a restricted free agent. 

While those two seem like the two most likely to be dealt, another veteran could potentially end up on the block as well, following an interesting first year with the team. 

Vladislav Gavrikov Wanting to Move On Could Make Sense 

New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Due to the state of affairs with the Rangers right now, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gavrikov want to play elsewhere. The 30-year-old certainly didn’t sign up for a rebuild, and with a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference and his friend Artemi Panarin being traded, him potentially wanting to leave makes sense. 

This season, the veteran defenseman played well for the Rangers overall. He totaled 14 goals and 21 assists, for a solid 35-point campaign. In terms of his offense numbers, he set a career-high in both goals and points, making it a solid first year with New York. 

Considering the Rangers were without Adam Fox for a good chunk of the season, it was Gavrikov who was asked to do quite a lot. When on the ice together, this duo was really good, but still not enough to carry the Rangers. 

If winning is important to the veteran, him looking to be moved after just one year with New York wouldn’t be overly surprising. Even if the Rangers have a strong offseason, being a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference is going to be a challenge.