Through 2 playoff games, Vladislav Gavrikov is proving his worth in more ways than one

If you sort through the metrics for the LA Kings through two games, you’d see Vladislav Gavrikov’s name appear towards the top in most statistics.

Of Kings players that played in both Games 1 and 2 – meaning we’re not counting Gabe Vilardi here – Gavrikov is one of two Kings skaters on the right side of 50 percent in terms of shot attempts controlled at 5-on-5. The other is Gavrikov’s primary partner, Matt Roy, with the Russian blueliner sitting just over 54 percent in that category, the team’s best total. He also leads the team when you sort by scoring chances, with the Kings controlling 55 percent with Gavrikov on the ice.

Now, these totals represent a sample size of six and a half periods of hockey. Nothing worth analyzing overly deeply, but in a playoff series, the sample size will always be small and game-to-game metrics become more and more scrutinized. Plus, when the data, even in a small sample, matches the eye test, you might just have something.

There are sometimes underlying factors, though, that can contribute to a player’s metrics, either positively or negatively. When it comes to Gavrikov, however, those underlying metrics almost suggest his numbers should be worse than they are, so it’s really a testament to his play over these two games.

Gavrikov has seen nearly an even split of ice time against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at 5-on-5. He’s played 13:30 against number 97 and 12:46 against number 29. Against their regular wingers, all very good players in their own right, Gavrikov is over 10 minutes apiece at 5-on-5. His next highest opponent is third-line center Nick Bjugstad, at just over six minutes. It’s a rough approximation trying to equate that into lines, especially with Edmonton’s 11 forward / 7 defenseman alignment in Game 2, but the numbers clearly show that Gavrikov is logging very difficult minutes almost all night long. Against a team like Edmonton, which has two number-one centers, that will only continue.

The Kings have also opted for a difficult deployment for the Gavrikov / Roy pairing. Looking at Gavrikov’s numbers directly, he’s started eight shifts in the defensive zone compared to just one in the offensive zone. With regard to faceoffs taken in full, he’s at nearly 57 percent of draws in the defensive zone compared to the offensive zone, second highest amongst Kings defensemen through two games. Certainly, some of that has to do with game flow, as Edmonton has had more of the puck at 5-on-5, but the Kings trust Gavrikov in that role and he’s excelling, despite the roadblocks he’s facing before the puck even drops.

All of this is from a player who wasn’t on the Kings roster in October. He wasn’t on the roster in February. Since he was acquired at the trade deadline, Gavrikov has done a good job of endearing himself to the group both on and off the ice, fitting in perfectly to the structure the Kings set out to play.

“It has been [seamless], he’s a true pro, he came in and knew what his job was, knew what to do and asked questions when he needed to,” defenseman Matt Roy said. “He’s done a great job of picking things up and helping our team.”

On the ice, his play seems to be speaking for itself.

It’s hard to think of a player the Kings have had in recent memory with a better defensive reach. On plays when it appears he’d have no chance, the man who was once referred to as an octopus in Columbus gets a tentacle on the puck to deflect or knock it away. The most obvious example is from Game 1, when Gavrikov deftly defended a 2-on-1 rush, which sprang the Kings the other way to set up their first goal of the game.

Come for the Gavrikov play, stay for Kempe's backhand. 👑 pic.twitter.com/1ozQJux6yK

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2023

If the numbers above didn’t make it obvious, that 2-on-1 came against McDavid and Draisaitl. Gavrikov didn’t get an assist on the play, but the goal – and perhaps the comeback – doesn’t happen without his defensive stick. Those who know him best, his partner and his longtime goaltender, knew how important it was.

Roy – It’s really impressive, he saved me the other night there and I mean, he’s done that ever since he got here. It’s a great asset to have for us back there and he’s made a lot of great plays for us.

Joonas Korpisalo – He’s great, our first goal [in Game 1] he made a great, great play with his stick to take the pass away and we scored after that. That’s what he does and he’s really good at it.

Korpisalo has been teammates with Gavrikov since 2019, when the latter signed his entry-level contract with Columbus. They’ve been together ever since, through the majority of four seasons with the Blue Jackets and now a couple of months with the Kings, beginning a new playoff experience together.

Gavrikov’s play is perhaps starting to garner a bit more recognition on a wider scale, but it’s nothing new to his goaltender. He’s been this type of player since he came into the NHL, people are now just perhaps taking a bit more notice.

“From the moment he came from Russia to over to Columbus, we’ve seen he’s a really good player and he’s been doing that ever since,” Korpisalo added. “On the bigger scale, people maybe didn’t know too much but playing with him, you know how good he is.”

The Kings have, obviously, appreciated what Gavrikov has brought to this team on the ice. Todd McLellan felt he was the team’s best defenseman in Game 1, noting that he impacted the game both defensively and offensively, echoing sentiments that he’s said now several times since Gavrikov joined the club.

His fellow defensemen – Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty – have both complimented how well he’s fit the group both as a player and as a teammate. Doughty has joked on multiple occasions how he’s tried to convince Gavrikov to re-sign with the Kings, playing broker in trying to get him down to a manageable cap hit. Not something he would do for a player who hasn’t been a good fit for the group as a player and as a person.

Anderson elaborated on how much Gavrikov has brought to the group, in all facets.

“He’s been a huge addition,” Anderson said. “On the ice, he anticipates well, he’s got a really good reach, really good stick, very rangy. More importantly, he’s come in, same with Korpi, they’ve added a lot of positive energy and momentum to the locker room. They fit right in with the group and they’ve made their stamp on who they are as people. I think that almost goes further than what they do on the ice, but we’re very happy that we’ve got them right now.”

As this series rolls on, Gavrikov’s level of play will need to continue at a high level for the Kings to find success. Edmonton presents a challenging matchup for any team, with the ability to roll out two first lines, with arguably the NHL’s two best forwards on separate trios. That means teams need two defensive pairings capable of answering. Gavrikov’s instant chemistry with Roy has given the Kings that on a given night, complementing the dirty work that Anderson and Doughty are also putting in.

So far, so good in that department, as the Kings look to re-gain their advantage in the series tomorrow evening.

Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Game 3 tomorrow, Insiders!

The series shifts to Los Angeles for a critical pair of games on home ice. Kings are excited to be home and
are determined to have a better start to tomorrow’s game than Games 1 and 2. More to follow in the game preview in the AM.