Vladislav Gavrikov signed a three-year, $8.4 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. It has an average annual value of $2.8 million.
The 24-year-old defenseman, who was a restricted free agent, scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 69 games as a rookie last season and three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 postseason games.
"Vladislav Gavrikov was everything we hoped he would be during his rookie season last year, establishing himself as a top-four defenseman in the National Hockey League," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He is still a young player that we expect will get better every year and continue to be an important part of our blue line."
