Los Angeles Kings Trade Rumors: Vladislav Gavrikov rejects contract extension

The Los Angeles Kings established their presence in the trade market on March 1 by acquiring defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As part of the deal, the Blue Jackets received goalie Jonathan Quick, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Kings.

"There was some talks last night that the Kings had offered Vladislav Gavrikov an extension but it's believed he's not interested in talking about any new deal for now."- Jeff Marek

Vladislav Gavrikov appears to be a perfect fit for the Kings' blueline, but according to Jeff Marek of 32 Thoughts, Gavrikov has not made a decision on signing a long-term contract extension with the Kings and is not interested in contract extension talks for the time being.

According to other reports, Gavrikov is expected to look for other options in July, and Korpisalo is expected to do the same. For the time being, they are completely focused on assisting the Kings in making a deep playoff run.

The veteran defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov brings a wealth of experience to the blue line and has established himself as a top-tier defender. He doesn't shy away from putting his body in the way of the puck. Gavrikov has played in 52 games and has racked up 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists), accumulating over the course of the season.

Joonas Korpisalo, on the other hand, has played in 28 games and has a record of 11-11-3 with a goal-against-average of 3.17 and a save percentage of.913.

Why the Los Angeles Kings traded Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick has not performed well this season, and this played a major part in the trade. In 31 games, Quick has achieved a save percentage of .876 while conceding 3.5 goals per game. There has also been a considerable reduction in game time and the Los Angeles Kings have only won 11 of his 27 starts.

Quick is in the final campaign of a 10-year deal worth $5.8 million per season. As such, it was better to get something for the 37-year-old while possible. The LA Kings are currently placed second in the Pacific Division with 76 points. The club is on course to make it to the playoffs for the 32nd time in franchise history.

The Los Angeles Kings will next welcome the Montreal Canadiens to the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday (March 2). The puck drop for the game is scheduled for 10:30 pm ET.