NY Rangers could lose Olympic gold medalist amid turmoil in 2026

Mike Sullivan has enough on his plate as he coaches Team USA in the Winter Olympics. However, it’s nothing compared to what awaits him back home with the New York Rangers. Now, a report suggests yet another key player could be growing sick and tired with the organization’s present in the NHL. Who? None other than Olympic gold medalist Vladislav Gavrikov, who captured gold while representing the Olympic Athletes from Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“There’s a lot of rumours. I’m hearing that Vladislav Gavrikov might be looking at where’s the direction of this team. This isn’t necessarily what he signed up for,” Mike Rupp reported on The Daily Faceoff (DFO) Rundown.

Coming off a 30-point production with the Los Angeles Kings in the 2024-25 NHL season, Gavrikov signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Rangers. Now, it seems he might be getting cold feet about his long-term commitment to the Blueshirts.

Not that easy for Gavrikov to ask for trade

Still, asking for a trade out won’t be easy for him. Gavrikov holds a no movement clause (NMC) on his contract, but unless he gives New York a reason to deal him away, the Rangers might have no interest in parting ways with him. Whether Gavrikov truly wants out remains to be seen, too.

Though both players share Russian nationality, Vladislav Gavrikov’s situation is not the same as Artemi Panarin’s. The latter was set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA), and because of his full no-movement clause (NMC), he could decide where he wanted to be traded. If the New York Rangers didn’t agree to those terms, he could simply walk away as a UFA, leaving the organization empty-handed.

With Gavrikov, however, the Rangers are not handcuffed. Obviously, if he wants out, it would be in the best interest of the Blueshirts to find a trade partner and work something out. But they are not obligated to do so.

What’s in store for Sullivan when he returns to New York

Thinking things will be different upon returning to Madison Square Garden is like leaving home with a frying pan unattended and expecting to find the kitchen unscathed when you get back. Mike Sullivan knows his New York Rangers are a work in progress—one he’ll have to fully dive back into after a much-needed Euro winter at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In more ways than one, Sullivan hopes Team USA can go all the way. Obviously, that would mean accomplishing what no head coach has since Herb Brooks led a group of amateur players to gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Team USA hasn’t captured Olympic gold since, and Sullivan could cement his legacy among the all-time greats by adding that achievement to his résumé.

Sullivan and Team USA chase history while coach avoids NHL drama

At the same time, extending his stay in Italy allows him to postpone the inevitable. Sullivan knows that the moment he walks back through the doors of Madison Square Garden, drama will greet him head-on. Like a couple stretching out their honeymoon to delay returning to the chaos of everyday life, Sullivan hopes his time in Milan can last a little longer.

As demanding as coaching Team USA—and carrying the weight of a nation’s expectations—can be, Sullivan also knows he has an All-Star roster at his disposal. The Stars and Stripes look like a video-game lineup, but back in New York, the tune is far less harmonious. The few bright notes that remain are slowly but steadily heading for the exit. Now, Vladislav Gavrikov could be the latest name added to that list.