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Vladislav Gavrikov Expected To Reach Free Agency

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The Kings are not expecting to get an extension done with defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov before he reaches unrestricted free agency on Tuesday, general manager Ken Holland told reporters Saturday (including John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor).

The news doesn’t rule out Gavrikov returning to L.A. if they dole out the most competitive offer for him on the open market, but it does understandably significantly decrease the likelihood of him remaining in a Kings uniform next season. They’ve had continued discussions with Gavrikov’s camp on a new deal this week, but still aren’t close, Holland said.

The silver lining for Los Angeles is that Gavrikov has a limited number of teams he’s considering signing with this summer, the Kings obviously being among them. The other presumed frontrunner for his services will be the Rangers, where there have been strong indications of mutual interest, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said last week.

If Gavrikov departs, that’s now two defense slots L.A. needs to replace on the open market or via trade. The team also traded young righty Jordan Spence to the Senators during today’s draft.

Replacing Gavrikov directly will be a struggle. The 29-year-old is understandably looking to cash in following the best two-way season of his career, averaging over 23 minutes per game while posting 30 points and a +26 rating in 82 appearances for the Kings.

There’s no one available who checks all the boxes of Gavrikov’s strengths as a puck-mover, penalty-killer, and shot-blocker with a big frame. Some names could at least help them recoup a big chunk of Gavrikov’s value.

Ivan Provorov is one, and it looks like the fellow Russian lefty will be available next week with no extension looming with the Blue Jackets. He doesn’t match Gavrikov’s defensive skillset but could produce better possession impacts in an insulated L.A. system, and he has plenty of experience logging the type of deployment Gavrikov managed for the Kings this season. He’s also one of the more durable players in the league and has three straight 82-game seasons under his belt.

Matt Grzelcyk, Ryan Lindgren, and Dmitry Orlov round out the next tier of available lefties after Provorov, all of which present a more significant projected downgrade on the value Gavrikov brought to the Kings’ blue line last season. Among trade targets, there could be an informal swap with the Rangers in the cards. Los Angeles has kicked tires on New York’s K’Andre Miller, a pending RFA, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. A speculative sign-and-trade that sees Gavrikov head to Manhattan while the Kings acquire Miller’s signing rights could be feasible.

That would, of course, leave the Kings looking to pursue a more defensively responsible righty to replace the puck-moving Spence. That’s not exactly the skillset Miller provides, and in order to get the most out of his all-around value, he’d need something of an anchor partner next to him on the right side. Top open-market righties include Aaron Ekblad – although that likely won’t work under the salary cap if they’re already bringing in a speculative mid-priced asset in Miller – along with Cody Ceci, Henri Jokiharju, and Dante Fabbro.

Canucks, Golden Knights, Kings Interested In Bowen Byram

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After sending high-end winger, JJ Peterka, out West a few days ago to the Utah Mammoth, the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly working the phones on another one of their younger roster players. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger on the Barn Burner podcast, the Sabres are receiving consistent interest in defenseman Bowen Byram from the Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Los Angeles Kings.

For the former two teams, it’s apparent that Byram is being viewed as an option on his off-hand. Operating on the assumption he’ll be in any acquiring team’s top-four, the Canucks already have Quinn Hughes and Marcus Pettersson on the left, while the Golden Knights have Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin.

Meanwhile, the Kings may view Byram as a sufficient replacement for Vladislav Gavrikov should the defensive blue liner depart in free agency. Byram isn’t nearly as good as Gavrikov in the defensive zone, but would bring far more offensive pressure and could create a quality pairing with fellow youngster, Brandt Clarke.

For context, there’s no trade close at the time of writing, but it’s become apparent that the Sabres are making a concerted effort to balance out the handedness of their defensive core. The team has already found one quality right-handed option in Michael Kesselring, and is likely seeking one more after moving Byram.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, it’s challenging to ascertain Byram’s value on the trade market. He has not made many significant strides since his time with the Colorado Avalanche, recording a 0.46 PPG average over the past three years, despite an increase in average ice time since arriving in New York.

Still, despite his billing as an offensive-minded defenseman, Byram can hold his own in the defensive zone, racking up 313 blocked shots in 246 career games, with a 90.1% on-ice save percentage at even strength. It’s also important to note that, unlike many of his peers in Buffalo, Byram has postseason experience and had his name put on the Cup in 2022 with Colorado.

Senators Acquire Jordan Spence From Kings

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The Ottawa Senators are reportedly getting close to acquiring defenseman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings, per TSN’s Bruce Garrioch. The Los Angeles Kings will receive a 2025 third-round pick – 67th-overall – and a 2026 sixth-round pick in return per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move has been confirmed by the Senators.

In the minutes leading up to the start of draft day two, Ottawa has pulled off yet another lucrative deal. They acquired the third-round pick moved in this deal from the Nashville Predators on Friday, as part of a package with the 23rd-overall pick to move up to Ottawa’s 21st-oveall slot. The Senators went on to select Logan Hensler at 23, landing a heavy-body and poised defender who should fit perfectly ahead of Spence in the Senators’ future lineup. That makes this acquisition of Spence all the sweeter for Ottawa. For the net cost of 21st overall and a sixth-round pick, they’ll land a top prospect in Hensler, and a high-upside puck-mover in Spence.

Spence climbed into a hardy role in the Kings lineup over the last two seasons, on the back of confident play-driving and gradual improvements to his game away from the puck. Last season marked his first full year in the NHL, and he marked it with 24 points, 12 penalty minutes, and a plus-five through 71 games played. Not to be outdone, Spence returned to the NHL full-time this year and improved his stat line to 28 points, 16 penalty minutes, and a plus-23 in 79 appearances. He’s a crafty and quick defender, though one often undercut by his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame.

That size has kept Spence an unheralded player for much of his hockey career. He was originally drafted by the Kings in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, following a year where he scored 49 points in 68 games with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. He continued on in the QMJHL for the next two seasons, and didn’t reach point-per-game scoring until he managed 40 points in 22 games of the shortened 2020-21 campaign.

It was on the heels of that surge to scoring that Spence opted to turn pro. He played through his rookie AHL season, and fell one game short of his rookie NHL season, in the 2021-22 season. That year was marked by a productive 42 points in 46 AHL games, but just eight points in 24 NHL games. He returned for much of the same in the following year – netting 45 points in 56 AHL games but just one point in six NHL appearances.

Now, Spence seems firmly set as a routine, full-time NHL fixture. That fact made him a tough asset for the Kings to hold onto, with Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke holding firm roles in the lineup above Spence. The Senators should be able to reward him with much more playing time – with their right-side only blocked off by Artem Zub and Nick Jensen, two options who move the puck far less than Spence. That setup could be the makings of a breakout year for the flashy defender, though just how well his all-three-zones playmaking will hold up at the NHL level is yet to be seen.

Senators Expected To Show Interest In Tanner Jeannot

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With the Kings not expected to offer winger Tanner Jeannot a new contract, he’s expected to hit the open market on Tuesday with teams looking for extra grit being likely to show interest.  It appears that the Senators will be one of those as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Ottawa is expected to pursue Jeannot in free agency.

Jeannot was one of the bigger surprises in the NHL back in 2021-22.  In his first full NHL season, he wound up collecting 24 goals and 17 assists along with 130 penalty minutes and 318 hits in 81 games, earning the 28-year-old a seventh-place finish in Calder Trophy voting.  All of a sudden, it looked like Nashville had a key power forward of the future in the mix.

But things didn’t go anywhere near as well the following year as his output dropped to just 14 points in 56 games.  Nonetheless, Tampa Bay still believed in him, sending the Preds draft picks in the first five rounds (including the 23rd pick last night, one that was moved in a trade-up swap) to acquire Jeannot’s services.

The change of scenery didn’t boost his scoring prowess as Jeannot had just four points in 20 games down the stretch in 2023 and then followed that up with just seven goals and seven assists in 55 outings in 2023-24.  While the physicality was still there, the offensive touch certainly wasn’t.  Needing to clear cap space last summer, the Lightning moved Jeannot and his $2.665MM contract at the draft last year for second and fourth-round picks.

Once again, the change of scenery didn’t yield an increase in production as Jeannot posted seven goals and six assists along with 89 penalty minutes and 211 hits in 67 games while logging just 11:01 per night.  As a result, he’s going to be entering the open market with teams now viewing his breakout year as the outlier, not necessarily a sign of things to come.

After that 24-goal rookie year, Jeannot has managed just 20 in the three seasons since combined, making him more of a fourth liner than an impactful middle-six piece.  As a result, he didn’t earn a spot on our Top 50 UFA list.  After playing on a bridge deal the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jeannot effectively get another one as it would be difficult to see a team making a longer-term commitment to someone whose production has been so limited lately.  But with a lot of teams looking for added grit, Jeannot should nonetheless have a solid group of suitors next week with the Sens appearing to be one of them.

Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire 24th Overall Pick, Select Will Horcoff

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According to a team announcement, the Los Angeles Kings have traded the 24th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 31st and 59th overall selections. Using the pick, the Penguins selected Will Horcoff from the University of Michigan.

Horcoff, the son of longtime Edmonton Oiler Shawn Horcoff, had a split season during the 2024-25 campaign. He began the year with the United States National Team Development Program in Plymouth, MI, scoring eight goals and 14 points in 28 games with a +5 rating.

After making the short trip to Ann Arbor, MI, for the second half of the season, Horcoff finished his first year with the Wolverines with four goals and 10 points in 18 contests. He also performed well on the international stage, scoring two goals and four points in seven games for Team USA at the U18 World Junior Championship.

Unfortunately, few believed that Horcoff had the necessary offensive talent to warrant a first-round selection, with several mocks projecting him to fall to the second round. Still, at 6’4″, he’ll immediately add size and physicality to the Penguins system, and is arguably one of, if not the best, defensive forward available at this year’s draft. At any rate, it’ll be a few years before Pittsburgh sees the value in this pick, as Horcoff is expected to return to Michigan in the fall.

Teams Interested In Kings' Alex Turcotte

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  • Multiple teams are interested in trading for Los Angeles Kings’ forward Alex Turcotte, per Mayors Manor. While speculation has been ramping up surrounding defender Jordan Spence and forward Trevor Moore, Turcotte is an interesting name to monitor. While Turcotte, a former first-round pick, has underperformed so far in his career, he’s coming off a career-high 68 games played and 25 points, and he’s still just 24. The fifth-overall selection in the 2019 draft could benefit from a change of scenery.

Rangers Among Vladislav Gavrikov’s Preferred Destinations

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If Vladislav Gavrikov reaches the open market next week, there will be a high level of mutual interest between him and the Rangers. His preference remains to iron out an extension with the Kings, but if he’s unable to do so, New York is on a “short list of teams he is interested in joining,” writes David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

Gavrikov has already been tagged as one of the Rangers’ top free-agent targets as they look to reshape a blue line that’s already undergone major surgery since the beginning of 2024-25. If signed, he would presumably come at the expense of pending RFA K’Andre Miller’s signing rights being traded elsewhere. New York has received strong interest on the trade market regarding the young defender, and with Gavrikov projected to command nearly $8MM per season on a long-term deal, they’d only have around $5MM in cap space left over after signing him with RFA winger William Cuylle in need of a new deal as well.

While Gavrikov’s puck-moving ability may be a step back from Miller’s ceiling, the veteran has been far more consistent over the past few years and offers greater defensive upside. That two-way presence – this past season was his second time hitting 30 points in his NHL career – combined with spectacular impacts and a willingness to get involved in the play physically would give Adam Fox the bona fide No. 2 defenseman and potential long-term partner he’s missed over the last few years with Ryan Lindgren’s decline and subsequent trade.

The Rangers would obviously end up paying a premium for Gavrikov’s services coming off a stellar platform year, but they’re in a position of need. There’s nothing resembling even a fringe first-pairing lefty in the organization, particularly if Miller isn’t re-upped, and Gavrikov has a highly desirable track record with his combination of heavy deployment and good two-way play over his six-year NHL career. Poor possession play has plagued the Rangers throughout the past few seasons, so much so that it may make more sense for new head coach Mike Sullivan to deploy Fox, who routinely boasts above-average possession impacts regardless of who his partner is, on a separate pairing from Gavrikov if he’s brought in.

Still, a long-term agreement with Gavrikov isn’t something the Rangers should rush into. They’ve had to make some undesirable cap dumps in the past few months because of similar moves. They already have two lengthy contracts on the books for defenders – Fox’s rather desirable $9.5MM cap hit through 2029 isn’t much of an issue, but William Borgen’s $4.1MM cap hit through 2030 could be a tricky one if he can’t manage to hold onto a consistent top-four role on the right side with the younger, more dynamic Braden Schneider breathing down his neck entering a contract year.

Connor McDavid In No Rush To Sign Max-Term Extension With Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers have turned their sights towards July 1st following the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They face a loaded plate, with top defender Evan Bouchard in need of a new contract and franchise superstar Connor McDavid eligible for an extension when July rolls around. Both tasks will be top-list items for the Oilers, but it doesn’t seem McDavid is in the same rush to solidify his long-term future. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that McDavid will want to hear out Edmonton’s plans for the future before signing a new deal. When that deal does come, LeBrun adds that there’s no certainty it’s an eight-year contract, pointing towards the four-year contract that Auston Matthews signed last summer.

Matthew and McDavid are both represented by Judd Moldaver and Wasserman Hockey. Moldaver also represents Columbus’ Zach Werenski and New Jersey’s Brett Pesce, who are each on six-year contracts with their clubs. In fact, Moldaver’s only client on an eight-year deal is Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, who made a point about staying in Music City for life when he signed his extension in 2019.

This news may seem like a wrench in Edmonton’s machine, but it’s little more than McDavid doing his due diligence before signing a deal that will likely carry him through the majority of his remaining career. Winning a Stanley Cup is a luxury afforded to only a few NHL legends, and McDavid is coming off the heels of back-to-back squandered opportunities.

The connection between McDavid and the Oilers franchise is as strong as any bond across the league. His name has become synonymous with all-time great Wayne Gretzky, whom McDavid routinely chases in both the regular season and playoff scoring records. With 1,082 points in 712 games, McDavid’s 1.52 points-per-game clock in as the third-most in NHL history, behind only Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. He’s a true great, who any team would make a dire effort to keep when faced with any chance of losing him.

But then again, Gretzky’s career spanned tenures with four separate clubs, even after he won four Cups and set all-time scoring records with the Oilers. His move away from Edmonton – and to the West Coast – was perhaps the greatest news to ever hit the league, and reports connected to McDavid suggest a similar pattern could emerge should the modern great ever want to change clubs. LeBrun shares that the Los Angeles Kings and former Oilers general manager Ken Holland are closely monitoring McDavid’s status up North. If any signs of a move shine through, the Kings could once again snatch a perennial superstar from under Edmonton’s nose. LeBrun further adds that the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, and New York Rangers could join what’d likely be a small-group race to steal McDavid from the Oilers.

The Oilers are, luckily, just about as far from a decision as they can be. McDavid still has one year left on his current contract. He’s already scored 826 points in 503 games of his current deal, including an incredible 64-goal, 89-assist, 153-point performance in the 2022-23 season. A lot can happen in a year’s time, especially with the talent and assured scoring that McDavid brings to the lineup. Strong lineup additions and a return to the depths of the Stanley Cup Playoffs could go far in swaying McDavid’s confidence in sticking with the Oilers through the end of his career. But, another early exit on the back of a lineup that’s not full strength could sever the ties. The NHL will be entering near-unprecedented territory as McDavid eyes the structure, price tag, and location of his next contract – a deal almost guaranteed to set the new record in league salary.

Kings Unlikely To Offer Tanner Jeannot New Contract

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  • Along similar lines, Russell Morgan of Hockey Royalty reports that the Los Angeles Kings aren’t expected to offer Tanner Jeannot a contract for the upcoming season. Jeannot has seen his stock drop precipitously in recent years, going from scoring 24 goals and amassing 318 hits with the Nashville Predators in the 2021-22 season, to a 13-point campaign in 67 games for the Kings this past season. He can still be relied upon for physicality, but Jeannot will have a difficult time finding a similar salary on the open market this summer.

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Kings Re-Sign Pheonix Copley

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11:59 a.m.: It’s a one-way deal for Copley, per the team’s Zach Dooley. That could be an indication the team is open to him starting the season as Kuemper’s backup.

11:31 a.m.: The Kings have re-signed pending UFA goaltender Pheonix Copley to a one-year deal that will pay him the league minimum of $775K next season, per a club announcement. It’s unclear whether it’s a one-way or two-way commitment.

The upcoming season will mark Copley’s fourth in Los Angeles. He was initially brought in for the 2022-23 season to serve as the No. 3 option/AHL starter behind Jonathan Quick and Calvin Petersen, a role he’d held for many years with the Blues and Capitals. Instead, Quick and Petersen both put up unplayable numbers, leading Copley to get the call-up and the lion’s share of the starts. In a career-high 37 appearances, he was more than serviceable with a .903 SV%, 2.64 GAA, and one shutout, helping L.A. to a 24-6-3 record in games he received the decision for. He was supplanted as the starter in the playoffs by trade deadline pickup Joonas Korpisalo, but he at least did enough to establish himself as a full-time NHL option.

L.A. brought him back on a one-year, $1.5MM deal for 2023-24 as a result. He started the year as UFA pickup Cam Talbot’s backup, but after going 4-1-2 with a .870 SV% and 3.16 GAA in just eight appearances, his season came to an end in December after undergoing ACL surgery.

The Kings still wanted to keep him around as an insurance option for this past season, though, signing him to another one-year deal after free agency opened. While Copley was back to full health, he’d slipped behind David Rittich on the depth chart and was back to serving in a more familiar No. 3 role. He allowed two goals on 12 shots in a relief appearance against the Maple Leafs early in the year, otherwise spending the campaign with AHL Ontario after clearing waivers. In his first extended minor-league stint in three years, the 33-year-old Alaskan was good with a 2.49 GAA, .904 SV%, two shutouts, and a 24-17-1 record in 42 games.

His numbers were far better than what top prospect Erik Portillo (.889 SV%, 2.82 GAA) put up as his backup. As a result, with Rittich slated to hit the open market this summer on the heels of an underwhelming 2024-25 performance, Copley might get another chance in training camp to be the Kings’ No. 2, this time behind 2025 Vezina Trophy finalist Darcy Kuemper.

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