Kings tender qualifying offer to Alex Laferriere + Free Agency Reports with market set to open this morning

Happy July 1, Insiders!

Starting the day with a small piece of news that was obviously coming but formally confirmed this morning. The Kings have tendered a qualifying offer to forward Alex Laferriere, as expected, which is the first step towards signing him to a new contract for the 2025-26 season and beyond. Laferriere’s qualifying offer is for $826,875, which is 105 percent the value of his base salary last season.

The qualifying offer in this context is a formality. There is next to no chance that Laferriere would sign the qualifying offer, as he’s earned a larger contract than the qualifying offer is worth, and the most likely outcome is that the two sides agree to a contract with a couple years of term, yet still on the shorter side. A longer-term deal would not be shocking but in Ken Holland’s recent media availability, it seems as if he felt negotiations would trend towards a shorter-term contract, which probably sits in the 2-3 year range. Per AFP Analytics, a short-term contract with Laferriere would be projected to come between $3.5 and $4 million per season, just as a base for what we might expect. I could see some wiggle room there but the long and short of it is, the Kings love Laferriere and he has told the organization he wants to be here. With an offer sheet not a possibility here and the Kings needing to address some more timely business later today and early this month, I’m not sure an extension will come today. But I fully expect it to come this summer.

“We’re going to find a solution,” Kings General Manager Ken Holland said last week. “I can’t tell you exactly when, but he wants to be here, he likes it here. Talking to the coaching staff – and Nelson Emerson and Glen Murray – he’s a really good player, really important player, a guy that can bump up the roster, he can play on the third line, he can check, he’s conscientious, he’s an important guy for this organization. I can’t tell you when, but we’re going to find a solution.”

Laferriere completes the Top-9 for the Kings. He was a good fit with Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield but I think he can play with just about anyone, in any role, and find a way to contribute. While he hit a scoring drought in the second half of the season, his underlying metrics remained very strong. He’s one of the best chance creators on the team and should be a 20-goal scorer year-in, year-out. Good player, interested to see where his extension ultimately lands.

On the other side of the qualifying offers are defenseman Cole Krygier and forward Jack Studnicka. The Kings did not tender a qualifying offer to either player and both will become unrestricted free agents this summer, free to sign with any of the league’s 32 teams. Both spent last season with AHL-Ontario and both will likely find new homes this summer.

While the Laferriere news is important, it’s not the most pressing piece of business today.

For the Kings, the free-agent market opens later this morning, presenting the first opportunity to sign unrestricted free agents from around the NHL.

The Kings filled one hole yesterday by signing forward Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year contract extension yesterday afternoon, which kept him off the market. More on Kuzmenko HERE. I think that was a pretty good deal for both sides and keeps a player who was a good fit around for another season.

Vladislav Gavrikov going to market.

There were more talks with the Kings tonight…but no deal.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2025

Late last night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov would be hitting the free agent market on July, which likely ends his time with the Kings organization. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun described the offer made as “aggressive”. Gavrikov definitely had a long-term offer from the Kings on the table but despite what were reported as talks late yesterday evening, the blueliner has decided to test the market, with the New York Rangers reported as a potential destination for the Russian defenseman. Holland said that the gap with Gavrikov came down to dollars, not term, and that the Kings were willing to offer a long-term deal. Unclear exactly what terms were offered and unclear if the price for Gavrikov with the Kings was the same as it might be for the Rangers or another club. Regardless, barring a last minute chance, it sounds as if Gavrikov will move on after 2.5 seasons in Los Angeles.

Regarding other unrestricted free agents, Tanner Jeannot is also likely to test the market, with Holland indicating that the veteran forward would like to pursue a larger role in the lineup than the Kings offered. Understandable on that front. Not expecting forward Trevor Lewis or goaltender David Rittich to return today, while forwards Samuel Fagemo and Taylor Ward, along with defenseman Caleb Jones are also UFA’s with NHL experience.

This sounds likely, per KH.

Reason being, Jeannot would like to seek a larger role than he had in LA. Kings loved him on the fourth line but he deserves the chance to find a better opportunity if available. https://t.co/amIVSleDIM

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) June 25, 2025

The shopping list for the Kings entering today includes two NHL-caliber defensemen, a backup goaltender and at least one fourth-line forward. The wishlist includes an upgrade among the team’s Top-9 forwards. I separate the two because the shopping list indicates non-negotiable needs. With Gavrikov likely to depart, the Kings need two bonafide NHL defensemen. I think at least one of those needs to be a Top-4 player as Gavrikov played a substantial role last season. A backup goaltender is also needed and the Kings need to revamp their fourth line to deliver a unit that will help expand the team’s depth in key games. In terms of an upgrade up front, I do believe the Kings need one more player in that area but they were also a 105-point team with this group. That upgrade isn’t needed on July 1 and could be addressed during the season. If there’s a fit today, great. If not, there’s time to make that upgrade. The Kings were a different team after adding Kuzmenko in March. They don’t need to go big-game hunting today and could make a move up front later in the summer or during the season to improve the group.

30 minutes to go, Insiders. See what comes today, and beyond, as the Kings look to bolster the NHL roster.