Vladislav Gavrikov: Colorado Avalanche 2015 NHL Draft Profile
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The 2014-15 season was unfortunately cut short for the Colorado Avalanche. That means that here at Mile High Sticking, we have a long off-season ahead of us. While the off-season is filled with all different kinds of articles, regarding the playoffs (that we are unfortunately not a part of), Avalanche season reviews, and many other things, it also gives us time to focus on the Colorado Avalanche 2015 NHL Draft.
Today we are taking a look at Vladislav Gavrikov — a big defenseman from Russia, who was also draft eligible in 2014.
Name: Vladislav Gavrikov
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height, weight: 6’2″, 195 lbs; 6’4”, 202 lbs according to NSA Hockey
Team/League: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
KHL
GP |
|---|
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
16
0
1
1
4
3
VHL
GP |
|---|
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
11
1
2
3
4
3
MHL
GP |
|---|
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
16
1
6
7
16
7
Risk, Reward: 3/5, 3.5/5
NHL-potential: Anywhere between top-4 and 7th defenseman
Player comparison: Marc Methot
Draft Range: 5th to 7th round
Scouting report
Vladislav Gavrikov is a physical defenseman that was passed over in the 2014 draft, but should find a team this time around. He showed some great improvement over the 2014-15 campaign, especially as he captained Team Russia to a silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championships. Gavrikov was simply dominant defensively and got honored as the best defenseman of the tournament, despite going completely scoreless.
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Most sources have Gavrikov listed at 6-foot-2, while the National Scouting Association, a Russian scouting service that mainly focuses on Russians and the KHL draft, has him listed at 6-foot-4. That is something that could make a somewhat big difference for a physical defenseman.
According to Hockey’s Future, Gavrikov “can throw the body around and play with some good edge and grit.” As his stats show, he doesn’t do a lot for the offense. However, he shows that he has some important tools to develop an offensive game.
Gavrikov is very mobile and skates well for his size. His positioning and gap control are very good as well. He knows how to simply rub out his opponents along the boards and how to throw big hits, as he does both with regularity.
Furthermore, Gavrikov is a great player for the penalty kill. He has good hockey sense, is good at shutting down passing lanes and blocking shots.
More from Mile High Sticking: Beichler’s Full First Round Mock Draft
However, Gavrikov does not simply project as a stay-at-home defenseman, though that is still a possibility. He has good vision and plays very good breakout passes. Plus, he has good hands and knows how to handle the puck.
The big question is how much upside Gavrikov really has to his game. Will he stagnate at his current level of development or will he continue to improve in big strides like he did this past season. Furthermore, can he develop at least a little bit of an offensive game or would he score no more than five points in 82 NHL games?
Those are the questions scouts have to answer when teams make up their draft boards and decide whether or not to select Gavrikov. The earlier he is taken, the more risk there is, especially considering the Russian factor. However, I wouldn’t say that there is too much risk if a team takes a chance at him in the last three rounds.
Fit with the Avalanche
Vladislav Gavrikov is a player any team can need — if he reaches his potential. He could turn into a huge shutdown defenseman with some offensive skill. He still needs to improve on the way there, but as long as he does get close to that ceiling, he will be worth a pick.
Playing in Europe, Gavrikov would be allowed to come right over to North America and play in the AHL. However, it is unclear if he would be willing to do that.
Paired with an elite offensive defenseman, Gavrikov could even play on a first D-pairing in the NHL one day. He would slot in somewhere in the middle among Colorado Avalanche D-prospects and could be a valuable player for the San Antonio Rampage next season, if he decides to come over.
More Draft Coverage:
Beichler’s Full First Round Mock Draft
Revisiting Avalanche Early Draft Options
Next: Draft Profile: Ryan Gropp
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