The Los Angeles Kings locked up one of their top defensemen, signing  Vladislav Gavrikov to a two-year extension, according to Chris Johnston. The deal is worth $5.875 per year.

The Kings traded for Gavrikov in March and he thrived with his new team, nabbing nine points in 20 regular season games. He added a point in the playoffs, playing significant minutes in the Kings' first-round loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Gavrikov had the best season of his career in 2021-22, getting 33 points in 80 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had 10 points in 52 games with Columbus before the trade to the Kings.

It's an upgrade for Gavrikov in terms of the team he's playing for. The Blue Jackets missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. The Kings have played in the postseason in back-to-back years, though they did not win a series in either season.

Though the Stanley Cup Final has yet to conclude, the other 30 NHL teams are starting the offseason early and looking at any and all ways to improve their teams. With the draft three weeks ago, several teams will be aggressive in trying to add draft picks and free up cap space for some free agent signings.

Gavrikov did enough in the Kings' eyes to earn a new contract. He didn’t get quite the security that most players would want but has the chance to earn a longer contract in the near future. Whether that's with the Kings or not remains to be seen, but the two seem like a good fit for now.