The Columbus Blue Jackets announced defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov will be a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s game versus the visiting New Jersey Devils for “trade-related reasons.”
TSN reported that there is not an imminent deal involving Gavrikov. The move likely is being made as a means for the Blue Jackets to keep Gavrikov healthy prior to the NHL trade deadline on March 3.
“It’s something new. I’ve never felt this before,” Gavrikov said Tuesday. “It’s kind of weird right now to skate in the morning and know you’re not going to play because of that. That’s a different feeling obviously. You can’t disagree with that. There are a lot of rumors. I try to live every day not thinking about the future.”
The Blue Jackets do have to think about the future, however. Columbus (16-33-4, 36 points) has the fewest points in the NHL entering play on Tuesday.
“There’s no point hiding from it,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said on Tuesday. “We’re getting down to crunch time here and we’re going to take it one day at a time. Where we’re at with ‘Gavi’ is, tonight he won’t play and we’ll see where we’re at tomorrow.”
Gavrikov, 27, has totaled 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and averaged 22:20 of ice time in 52 games this season. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the season.
He has 73 points (15 goals, 58 assists) in 256 career games since being selected by the Blue Jackets in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
