Vladislav Gavrikov
| Birthday: 1995-11-21 | Position: D |
| Eligible for draft: 2014 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2015 | Height: 6-2 |
| Acquired: 6th round (159th overall), 2015 | Weight: 190 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- D
History
2010-11: Vladislav Gavrikov played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s 1995-born team and played for Russia’s U16 team. In 18 games in Moscow group play he had 8 assists with 16 penalty minutes. He had 2 assists and was +3 with 8 penalty minutes in five games at the Russian championships. In two games for Russia at the 2011 Four Nations tournament he had 1 assist and was +2 with 4 penalty minutes.
2011-12: Gavrikov played ten games for Loko Yaroslavl’s MHL (U22) team as a 16-year-old while skating for the club’s 1995-team and was part of Russia’s gold medal-winning U17 team at the 2012 World Hockey Challenge. He scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was an even plus/minus in eight regular season MHL games and was -1 with no points nor penalties in two playoff games. Gavrikov scored 6 goals with 5 assists and 16 penalty minutes in 17 games for the Lokomotiv 1995 team in Moscow group play. In five Russia championship games he had 1 assist and was +3 with 12 penalty minutes. Gavrikov scored 1 goal with 4 penalty minutes in three games with Russia’s U17 team at the 2011 Four Nations Tournament and scored 1 goal with 1 assist in six games at the WHC. Gavrikov was selected by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the second round (37th overall) in the 2012 KHL Draft.
2012-13: Gavrikov played 47 games for Loko Yaroslavl in his first full MHL season and represented Russia at the 2013 U18 World Junior Championship in Sochi. He scored 3 goals with 3 assists and was -1 with 18 penalty minutes. In seven games at the WJC he was +4 with no points and 27 penalty minutes. Russia finished fourth; falling 2-1 to Finland in the bronze medal game.
2013-14: Gavrikov skated in 45 games for Loko Yaroslavl in his second MHL season. He scored 3 goals with 9 assists and was +33 with 28 penalty minutes. Loko defeated Dynamo St. Petersburg in the first round before falling to SKA 1946 in a second round series. Gavrikov had 2 assists and was +2 with 4 penalty minutes in seven playoff games. He was ranked 17th amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings prior to the 2014 NHL Draft but was not selected.
2014-15: Gavrikov played at three levels of hockey in Russia and played for the Russia U20 team in the 2014 Subway Series and at the 2015 World Junior Championship. Playing in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, he had 1 assist and was +3 with 4 penalty minutes in 16 regular season games, averaging six minutes of ice time. He appeared in four KHL playoff games, averaging four minutes of ice time with no points nor penalties. Gavrikov played 11 games for HK Ryazin in the VHL (minor league). He scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +3 with 4 penalty minutes. Gavrikov was a team captain for the Loko Yaroslavl junior team in the MHL. In 21 games, including five playoff games, he scored 1 goal with 6 assists and was +9 with 18 penalty minutes. He had 1 assist and was +3 with 4 assists in six games in the Subway Series against all-star teams from the three major junior leagues in Canada. Gavrikov was a team captain for Russia at the WJC, and was -2 with no points nor penalties in seven games. Russia finished second, falling to Canada, 5-4, in the gold medal game. Ranked 26th amongst international skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings, he was selected by Columbus in the sixth round (159th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft in his second year of draft eligibility.
2015-16: Gavrikov skated in 42 of 60 regular season games for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in his first full season in the KHL. Averaging 16:24 minutes of ice time on the KHL’s second best team, he scored 3 goals with 4 assists and was +17 with 18 penalty minutes. Lokomotiv finished second to CSKA Moscow in the Tarasov Division before falling to SKA St. Petersburg and red-hot goalie Mikko Koskinen in the Western Conference quarterfinals. Gavrikov scored 1 goal and was -1 with 2 penalty minutes, averaging 17 minutes of ice time in five playoff games.
Talent Analysis
A big defenseman with some good mobility, Gavrikov can throw the body around and play with some good edge and grit. He plays more of a defensive style and isn’t a top contributor in the offensive zone, but is good in killing penalties and can play in different situations. His skating needs some work, as does his reactiveness and positional play. He has some upside regarding defensive play, but it’s right now not clear if he has what it takes for a long career in the NHL.
Future
Gavrikov steadily earned more playing time in his first KHL season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2015-16. Gavrikov has one year remaining on his initial contract with Lokomotiv and will likely return to the club for 2016-17. A big defense-first defender who moves well and has above average passing and stick handling skills, he projects as a strong second pairing shutdown defender.
