One of the Pittsburgh Penguins' top goals of this off-season should be to strengthen the left side of their defense. It is a major weakness on their roster right now, and they should be considering several different options to help address that.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) left-shot defensemen, Los Angeles Kings blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov is one of the most notable. This is because he is a big and steady stay-at-home defenseman coming off a strong 2024-25 season. He is also 29 years old and right in his prime, so he would make a lot of sense as a potential target for the Penguins.
Now, a significant update regarding Gavrikov and the Kings has been revealed.
While speaking to reporters, including John Hoven of Mayor's Manor, Kings general manager Ken Holland shared that he expects Gavrikov to hit the market on July 1.
Holland says it looks like Gav is going to UFA on 7/1. He's had several talks with Brisson (the agent) several times this week.
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) June 28, 2025
If Gavrikov does, in fact, become a UFA once free agency opens, the Penguins should seriously consider targeting him. When looking at their current blueline, Gavrikov would provide them with a massive upgrade for their top pairing. In addition, due to his strong defensive play, he would be an obvious fit for their penalty kill.
Gavrikov posted five goals, 25 assists, 30 points, 140 blocks, and a plus-26 rating in 82 games this past season for the Kings. With numbers like these, he provides a bit of everything and would be a big-time pickup for a Penguins club that needs serious help on the backend.
Former Penguins Forward Having Contract TerminatedFormer Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
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