Gavrikov Comments On Future With Kings
Earlier this afternoon, Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times took some quotes from Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, telling the reporter that his family loved living in Los Angeles for the last couple of months, but also said “We’ll see what happens” on whether or not he will extend his tenure with the Kings. Gavrikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Gavrikov had previously spent three seasons playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but with the Blue Jackets not meeting expectations this season, Gavrikov was subsequently dealt to the Kings with teammate Joonas Korpisalo. In 52 games in Columbus this season, Gavrikov scored three goals and seven assists, and would almost match that same output in only 20 games in Los Angeles. Gavrikov is one of the better defensive defensemen in the game, as he has blocked over 100 shots in each of his previous last two seasons.
In their opening-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, Gavrikov continued his strong play on the Kings’ back end, playing in all six games, accruing 16 hits, and earning a rating of +5. In the upcoming free agency period in July, Gavrikov joins a list of notable defensemen that play best on the defensive side of the puck, such as Ryan Graves, Scott Mayfield, Connor Clifton, and Dmitry Orlov.
Lady Byng Finalists Announced
The National Hockey League is announcing award finalists this week as they begin to set the stage for the annual NHL Awards at the end of the season. Per a league release, we now know the three players that are up for the Lady Byng Award this season. This award is given out annually to the player who exhibited the most sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct while playing at a high level this season.
Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils is one of the finalists. He finished this season with 43 goals and 99 points in 78 games while putting up just six minutes in penalties. He was the team’s leading scorer and a key reason the Devils made it to the postseason for the first time since 2018. The Devils didn’t just sneak into the postseason either as they finished the regular season with a 52-22-8 record which gives them 112 points in the standings.
Anze Kopitar is also up for the Lady Byng this season. The 35-year-old center had another stellar season for the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 28 goals and 74 points in 82 games while playing great defensive hockey as well. He also had just two minor penalties proving his sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct which goes with his strong play on the ice. Kopitar won this award in 2016 and this is the 16th consecutive season he has received votes for the Lady Byng.
Brayden Point is the third finalist for the award after another strong season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 27-year-old center scored 51 goals and 95 points in 82 games and had just seven penalty minutes on the season.
West Notes: Kopitar, Fiala, Chibrikov
The Los Angeles Kings’ season-ending loss last night is still fresh in the minds of many, but that hasn’t stopped some of the team’s players from looking forward to the future in today’s exit media availabilities. One of those players is captain Anze Kopitar, who said today to the media (including The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein) that he wants to retire as a “one-franchise player” and would like to have a conversation about a contract extension this summer.
Kopitar, 35, will see his $10MM AAV deal expire next summer and is therefore eligible for a contract extension at the start of the new league year. Despite reaching his mid-thirties Kopitar remains the Kings’ most important player. He’s a lineup-topping first-line-center who scored 74 points in the regular season and seven points in the team’s six-game playoff loss. While the Kings might not have the financial bandwidth to have his next contract match his current $10MM cap hit, this looks to be a situation where both sides are highly motivated to get a deal done and therefore it’s a decent possibility that we see a Kopitar contract extension this summer.
Some other notes from the Western Conference:
- The Kings’ most important winger, Kevin Fiala, talked to the media today as well and gave an update on the status of his health. While he did not want to dive into specifics, Fiala called the injury that caused him to miss three games of the Kings’ first-round series a continuation of the knee injury he suffered earlier in the season against the Colorado Avalanche. He did state that no summer surgery would be necessary to get him back to full health, which is great news for the Kings as Fiala (72 points in 69 regular-season games and six points in three playoff contests) is their most dynamic offensive generator.
- Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe relays word from Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff at his press conference today that Jets 2021 second-round pick Nikita Chibrikov is in Winnipeg and is expected to join the AHL’s Manitoba Moose at the conclusion of his KHL contract. The expectation is that the 20-year-old winger will play in North America next season after spending most of this season with Spartak Moscow in the KHL. As is the norm for many younger players in the KHL, Chibrikov received very few minutes in the 31 games he played in the KHL this season, sometimes playing as little as 46 seconds, as he did in a February loss to Dynamo Moscow. It’s very possible that the Jets view the AHL as a better developmental environment for Chibrikov, prompting today’s announcement.
Blake Lizotte Ready To Return To Kings Lineup
- Out west, the Los Angeles Kings may get some reinforcements to their lineup during the three days off between Game 5 and 6 in their series with the Edmonton Oilers. Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reports Blake Lizotte has not played since Game 2 due to a lower-body injury. Lizotte practiced Thursday in a regular white jersey, signalling he is healthy and ready to return to the lineup. He is a key penalty killer on the Kings which is much needed against the dangerous power play of the Oilers, though there is no official confirmation that he will play in Game 6 just yet.
Los Angeles Kings Recall Six Players
The Los Angeles Kings have made several transactions as they prepare for Saturday’s do-or-die game six against the Edmonton Oilers. The club has announced the recall of Lias Andersson, Samuel Helenius, Andre Lee, Jacob Moverare, Jordan Spence, and Francesco Pinelli.
The group will likely serve as “Black Aces,” players who practice with the club and experience playoff preparations but don’t actually enter the lineup.
Pinelli, 20, is perhaps the most interesting addition, given he’s coming directly from the OHL. The 2021 second-round pick spent the year with the Kitchener Rangers, scoring 41 goals and 90 points in just 60 regular season games.
His playoff performance, though strong offensively, left something to be desired. Pinelli was given a three-game suspension for a blindside hit in the first round, leading to his absence in the first two games against the London Knights, longtime rivals that ended up winning both. Kitchener couldn’t recover (despite Pinelli’s first-star performance in game three) and was eliminated last week.
Several of the other names have already made appearances for the Kings this season, though the massive 6’6″ Helenius is still waiting for his NHL debut.
Los Angeles will try to stay alive at home and force a game seven on Monday.
Kings Recall Tobias Bjornfot And Cal Petersen
With their AHL affiliate in Ontario being eliminated on Friday, Los Angeles has elected to bring a couple of extra players up. They announced that defenseman Tobias Bjornfot and goaltender Cal Petersen were recalled from the Reign while also loaning goaltender David Hrenak to Greenville of the ECHL with the Swamp Rabbits still playing at that level.
Bjornfot is no stranger to being recalled this season as this is the ninth (and final) time that he is getting promoted. The 22-year-old played in ten games with the Kings during the regular season, the fewest appearances at the top level he has had in the last three seasons. In those contests, Bjornfot picked up an assist along with 11 hits and 12 blocks while logging a little over 14 minutes a night.
At the minor league level, Bjornfot was a bit more productive but certainly didn’t light up the scoresheet either, collecting five goals and seven helpers in 50 games. It should be his final season in the minors as he’ll be waiver-eligible next season and it’s unlikely that Los Angeles will want to risk losing him for free by trying to send him down again.
As for Petersen, it has been a year to forget for the 28-year-old. After a rough start to the year that saw him post a save percentage of just .868 in 10 appearances, he cleared waivers at the beginning of December and was sent down to the minors. He fared a bit better down there, putting up a .904 SV% in 40 regular season contests but that type of performance won’t be enough to see him pushing for playing time in the postseason. Instead, he’ll likely serve as the third-string option, allowing Hrenak to go back to the ECHL where he spent the majority of his season.
Kings Sign Erik Portillo To Entry-Level Deal
After they acquired his rights from Buffalo, it was only a matter of time before the Kings signed prospect Erik Portillo. That move has now come as the team announced that they’ve signed the goaltender to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal, which begins this season, carries an AAV of $875K.
Los Angeles acquired the 22-year-old from the Sabres in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick at the trade deadline after Portillo indicated to Buffalo that he wasn’t planning to sign with them. He had a 25-11-2 record with a 3.00 GAA and a .908 SV% in 38 games with Michigan this season, helping to lead them to a spot in the Frozen Four. Those numbers were actually a step back from his first two college campaigns as his time at that level concluded with a 2.49 GAA and a .918 SV% in 87 appearances over three seasons.
After Michigan was eliminated in the tournament earlier this month, he signed a tryout agreement with AHL Ontario. However, he didn’t see any game action and the Reign were eliminated by Colorado in the first round last night. In order for Portillo to be eligible to play in the playoffs, he needed to have his AHL tryout converted into an NHL deal which has now occurred.
Portillo is likely earmarked for the Reign again next season where it’s possible that he teams up with Cal Petersen if the Kings run him through waivers again. If that happens, Ontario’s goalie tandem will be two players who were originally picked by Buffalo, went to college, and ultimately chose not to sign with the Sabres; Portillo was a 2019 third-rounder while Petersen was a 2013 fifth-round selection.
Blake Lizotte Out For Game Three, Latest On Kevin Fiala
The Los Angeles Kings will remain without Kevin Fiala for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, according to team reporter Zach Dooley. In addition, center Blake Lizotte has suffered a lower-body injury, and will also miss tonight’s game. Kings head coach Todd McLellan said Gabriel Vilardi would shift to the third-line center slot vacated by Lizotte.
This update on Fiala is not wholly unexpected since he has yet to play in his team’s first-round playoff series. It is nonetheless unfortunate news for Kings fans, though, as Fiala is the team’s most important offensive generator, having posted 72 points in 69 regular-season games.
Fiala last played in a March 1st victory over the Seattle Kraken, a game where he posted a goal and an assist. Before his injury, Fiala had compiled a stretch of eight points in six games, and that’s exactly the sort of production the Kings may need to keep up with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the high-flying Oilers offense.
Lizotte’s absence, unlike Fiala’s, is more unexpected. The energetic undrafted forward has played in both of the Kings’ playoff games this year and is an important bottom-sixer for the team. He set a career-high scoring 11 goals and 34 points this season and is a valued second-unit penalty killer.
Since the Kings are facing an Oilers team who boast one of the most lethal power plays in recent NHL history, the loss of Lizotte heightens Los Angeles’ need to remain disciplined this series.
While the fact that they are heading back to Los Angeles with a tied series and a win on the road should inspire confidence for the Kings, this new absence of Lizotte will undoubtedly make taking a series lead on the Oilers a more daunting task.
Injury Notes: Vilardi, Andersen, Jeannot, Hartman
The Los Angeles Kings stole Game 1 away from the Edmonton Oilers with some late-game heroics from Anze Kopitar to tie it up with 17 seconds to play and a power play goal from Alex Iafallo to give the team an overtime victory. They will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead on Wednesday night, and appear to have some reinforcements that could help them.
Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports Gabriel Vilardi will be ready to return to the Kings lineup in Game 2. The 23-year-old right winger had a breakout season for the Kings, scoring 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games. Vilardi has not played since March 26 with an upper-body injury. His return will certainly give the Kings another offensive boost as they look to match the offensive juggernaut of the Oilers and add to their series lead.
- Per a team release, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will not suit up in Game 2 of their series with the New York Islanders. The 33-year-old goaltender, who battled injuries all season and played just 33 games, is out with an illness. In a bit of a surprising move, Antti Raanta was the Game 1 starter anyway, and he will get the call once again for the Hurricanes in Game 2.
- Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports Tanner Jeannot could be back in the Lightning lineup for Game 2. The feisty winger arrived in Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, for a surprisingly large haul of draft picks, and scored four points in 20 regular season games with the team. With Michael Eyssimont leaving Game 1 with injury, it would be perfect timing to have Jeannot return and fill that role in the Lightning’s bottom six. Jeannot last played on April 6 when he fell awkwardly and looked to be seriously injured. Luckily, he appears ready to go just two weeks later.
- Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was the hero in Game 1, scoring in double overtime to secure the win and take a 1-0 series lead. Unfortunately, he will not get the same chance in Game 2. Per a team release, Hartman will not play when the Wild meet the Dallas Stars looking to take a two game series lead. The 28-year-old forward had 15 goals and 37 points in 59 games for the Wild in the regular season. He has been dealing with a lower-body injury that he battled through to win Game 1 for the Wild, but it will keep him from suiting up in Game 2.
Snapshots: Vilardi, Quinnipiac, Colgate
The Los Angeles Kings are getting a quality player back into their lineup as they look to take a commanding two-to-nothing series lead over the Edmonton Oilers. As relayed by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi says he’s back from his injury and ready to re-enter the team’s lineup.
Vilardi, 23, last played in a March 26th game against the St. Louis Blues. The upper-body injury that sidelined him ended what was a breakout regular season, a year where he scored 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games. Vilardi gives the already-deep Kings another quality offensive piece to work with, and his return makes the task in front of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and the entire Oilers defense all that steeper.
Some other notes from across the hockey world:
- Defending NCAA Men’s Hockey National Champions Quinnipiac University will retain two key players for their title defense campaign next year. The program announced that 21-year-old Jacob Quillian would be returning for his junior season, while New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver reported that star scorer Collin Graf would be returning for his junior year as well. Both undrafted players, Quillian scored 19 goals and 38 points this past season while Graf, 20, ranked third in the nation in scoring with 21 goals and 59 points in 41 games.
- Colgate University’s men’s hockey program announced today that longtime head coach Don Vaughan is retiring. Vaughan is the third-longest serving college hockey head coach and has led the Raiders to four NCAA tournaments since being hired in 1992. He has won two ECAC Coach of the Year awards, helping players such as Andy McDonald and Bruce Gardiner reach the NHL. He leaves Colgate this season after guiding the program to an ECAC Championship victory over Harvard, the school’s first ECAC title since 1990.