NHL Rumors: Pending UFA D-Man Vladislav Gavrikov Linked to Eastern Team

He's slated as one of the top ten best defenseman on the list of pending unrestricted free agents for the summer of 2025. There's still a possibility that Vladislav Gavrikov could sign an extension with the Los Angeles Kings, but if he does make it to market, he's been labeled as an ideal fit for the Detroit Red Wings.

Max Bultman writes in The Athletic that he's "curious" about the potential of Gavrikov coming to Motown.

A top pairing of Gavrikov and (Moritz) Seider has the potential to be one of the league’s most stout — capable of truly succeeding in the kind of tough minutes Detroit tends to feed Seider. And, it would allow Detroit to slot Ben Chiarot down the lineup against more manageable matchups...
Gavrikov will have a real market, to be sure. He won’t be cheap. But what he’s been in Los Angeles is exactly what Detroit needs — and having the same coaching staff that helped establish that Kings defense group could help make it possible.

That coaching staff would be head coach Todd McLellan and assistant Trent Yawney. They were both hired in Detroit earlier this season, but were with Gavrikov in LA until parting ways last year.

The 6'3" left-shot D-man was signed by the Kings to a two-year extension in the summer of 2023, with a $5.9 million AAV. AFP Analytics has projected the 29-year-old Gavrikov for a 5-year, $5.4 million contract for his next deal.

The Red Wings, as Bultman notes, likely won't be swimming in the deep end of the free agent pool, but they could certainly get their feet wet with a signing like Gavrikov.

A fly in the ointment of this plan, however, is that less than a month ago, Kings general manager Rob Blake confirmed that he is negotiating a new deal with Gavrikov, who recently changed agents, and even said he was confident they would get something done.