from Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider,

Yesterday was Part 1. We all knew it was Part 1 and it’s been widely reported what was coming next. Tuesday’s trade saw the Kings move out salaries to clear cap space for moves to come. They had to pay future assets to do so, but when you look at the move through a longer lens, the cost was really not all that much. The next step in that process comes today, as the Kings announced that they have signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a two-year contract extension, carrying an AAV of $5.875 million through the 2024-25 season. Per CapFriendly, the contract also includes a full no movement clause in both seasons.

Gavrikov joined the Kings at the trade deadline and logged 20 regular-season games, on top of six games in the postseason. He produced offensively at nearly a half point-per-game pace, as he collected three goals and six assists from those 20 games, in addition to an assist and a +5 rating in the postseason. Gavrikov’s metrics were among the team’s best, especially when looking at the more dangerous areas of the ice, as he stepped right into the lineup and contributed.

Instant Analysis
First, sharing a quote from Todd McLellan regarding Gavrikov’s arrival and fit.

“Since the day he arrived, he walked in the door – him and Korpisalo walked in the door – and they fit our group,” Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan said. “There’s always risk in acquiring players at the deadline where it doesn’t work simply because of that. So, when they walked in their spirit and the way they carried themselves fit our group, so that was a home run right off the bat. Then his play, from the time that he put the equipment on all the way through, he adapted really quick to a different system and to new teammates……he was very, very solid all the way through the last minute [of Game 6].”

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