For years, Jakob Chychrun has been linked to the Los Angeles Kings in some form or fashion.
His father, Jeff, played 26 games for the Kings in 1991-92. Years later, when Jakob became a pro, his name kept popping up as a potential trade target for Los Angeles. The connection was never more intense than in the Winter and Spring of 2023 when a trade between LA and Arizona seemed imminent.
Sounding like a Jakob Chychrun @LAKings@ArizonaCoyotes trade centered around 2021 8th overall pick Brandt Clarke. #RealKyperandBourne
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) February 12, 2023
Lots of smoke connecting #LAKings with Jakob Chychrun, but no confirmed fire yet. And so, we wait.@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 12, 2023
It did not come to fruition, however. With the hole on the left side of their defense still unfilled, the Kings pivoted to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Vladislav Gavrikov.
We've acquired defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goaltender Jonathan Quick, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.#GoKingsGo
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 1, 2023
Fast forward to today…
Chychrun signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Washington Capitals that begins next season and has an average annual value of $9 million. And while this may officially close the door on any potential union with the Kings, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Chychrun has stopped impacting the Kings. Like him, Gavrikov is seeking a new deal and the Kings would prefer to get him signed before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
We’ve previously speculated on what retaining Gavrikov long-term may cost the Kings, but with Chychrun signing a massive deal, the market for defensemen may have been reset.
Some underlying numbers would have given us a little pause at our projection and this #MaxTerm deal is a little higher than we projected. Generally, the Capitals should expect Chychrun to be a solid top-4D offensive producer with iffy-to-average defensive impacts. #ALLCAPShttps://t.co/Vl9ylgAp3Ppic.twitter.com/ec45ZGK2B8
— AFP Analytics (@AFPAnalytics) March 25, 2025
To clarify, Gavrikov and Chychrun are far from direct comparables. Chychrun is 3 years younger and is on pace to eclipse the 20-goal and 50-point marks, both potential career highs. He is also a fixture on the Capitals’ power play and can be deployed in any situation.
Gavrikov, on the other hand, is an elite defender that will likely top out at 30 points. NHL GM’s will always put a premium on offensive production, but in Gavrikov’s case, his value to the Kings is more significant than his value around the league.
Gavrikov the #1 defenceman seems to be going very well early on. https://t.co/rcOTFri0QPpic.twitter.com/HWOGp9tzag
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) October 27, 2024
Vladislav Gavrikov from the Los Angeles Kings has been amazing this season. But it's a contract year for him. Maybe it's a fluke? I believe there will be a team that will overpay him in the off-season if he plays at this level all season. pic.twitter.com/6OheRcQuI9
— Rono (@RonoAnalyst) January 7, 2025
According to AFP Analytics, Gavrikov’s projected contract is 5 years, $5.4 million. For that to be a reality, Gavrikov would have to take a pay cut. Not likely. It stands to reason that he would be looking for at least a $1 million raise on the $5.8 million he is currently making. Add to that the projected $7.5 million increase in the NHL’s salary cap ceiling, and the Kings may be looking at long-term deal for Gavrikov with an AAV exceeding $7 million.
That may sound rich, but the reality for the LA Kings is that they need to re-sign Gavrikov. There are no viable internal options to replace him, and with Chychrun off the board, most external options would be a downgrade. The bigger challenge for the Kings will be the length of the contract, as players of Gavrikov’s ilk do not historically age well.