The 2025 NHL Draft is one week away and will take place in Los Angeles this year. For the Kings, this is pivotal event, not just because it is taking place in their city, but also because it will be the first draft for general manager Ken Holland.
The Kings hired Holland last month after long-time general manager Rob Blake and the franchise elected to mutually separate with Blake's contract up at the end of the season. Holland is an experienced general manager with over 20 years in the role between the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.
He will need to lean on that experience as the Kings have one main goal this season and that is to not only reach the playoffs but get past the first round. They have now gone one and done in four straight seasons with losses to the Oilers.
It will be an interesting week ahead leading up to the NHL Draft and these are five storylines to watch for the Los Angeles Kings.
Will the Los Angeles Kings re-sign Vladislav Gavrikov?
The biggest storyline at this point of the offseason is whether or not the Los Angeles Kings will be able to agree on a new deal for Vladislav Gavrikov. He is expected to be one of the highly sought after free agents on July 1st in a weak defenseman free agent class.
Recently, Russell Morgan with Hockey Royalty had an interview with Ken Holland, and the Kings' general manager confirmed they have made Gavrikov an offer:
"“We have talked numbers and term. So let’s see where this goes over the next ten days, but we would like to keep him. I have made an offer.”"
It seems like for the Kings at this point it is a waiting game and it will be interesting to see if there is any movement ahead of the NHL Draft.