Going into this offseason, Ken Holland made it a major priority for the Los Angeles Kings to add more proven skill and experience to the forward lines and the blue line for the defense. The Kings didn't get some of the big free agency targets that the organization had prioritized in the past couple of years in the offseason.
The Los Angeles Kings have missed on some top free agent targets in the past couple of cycles the last two summers
While the Kings added some proven veterans and postseason experience, highlighting by signing former Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry, the team didn't get the flashy top-six forward scorer it wanted this summer in free agency.
Former Kings general manager Rob Blake was let go in the front office for Ken Holland earlier this offseason in the summer.
Vladislav Gavrikov, D
Signed with New York Rangers
Veteran Vladislav Gavrikov was arguably the Kings' most consistent and reliable defenseman this past season in the Pacific Division. Gavrikov was the only Kings' defensemen to play in all of the 82 regular season games for LA, and he also led the team's blue line in plus/minus in 2024-25.
Gavrikov was a first-line defenseman for the Kings after Drew Doughty suffered an ankle injury this past season. But he was moved back to the second line on the blue line for the Kings when Doughty returned from the ankle injury late in the regular season and in the postseason.
Back in the spring, Blake said he expected Gavrikov to sign a long-term contract extension with the Kings.
Gavrikov ultimately signed a long-term contract with the New York Rangers, worth $7 million in average annual value over seven years. Holland and the Kings signed veteran defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin to help replace Gavrikov on the blue line for this upcoming season.
Mitch Marner, RW
Signed with Vegas Golden Knights
Many viewed multi-time All-Star and longtime Toronto Maple Leafs star winger Mitch Marner as the top free agent available in this cycle for this offseason. The Kings ranked in the middle of the pack in the NHL in goal scoring last season. Marner, a 100-point winger last season in the NHL,
Marner ended up signing with another Western Conference foe this offseason, despite the Kings being involved among the top teams pursuing him in free agency this summer.
Marner signed an eight-year contract worth $12 million in average annual value with the Knights earlier this offseason in the summer.
Brad Marchand, LW
Signed with Florida Panthers
Another veteran commonly discussed as a potential free agent target for the Kings this summer in this cycle was Florida Panthers and former Boston Bruins All-Star Brad Marchand. The 37-year-old winger re-signed with the Panthers after winning his second Stanley Cup this past postseason in Sunrise.
Marchand scored double-digit goals for the Panthers in the postseason and had three valuable game-winning goals in clutch games for Florida.
The Kings could use that type of clutch scoring and proven postseason experience to help this team get past the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs in the West.