The Los Angeles Kings have signed Vladislav Gavrikov to a two-year contract extension, securing one of the top defensemen who would have been available in free agency.

A pending unrestricted free agent, Gavrikov's contract has an average annual value of $5.875 million through the 2024-25 season. Most of his contract will be paid out in signing bonuses: $10.2 million in total, with a base salary of $775,000 in those two years. The contract also carries a no-movement clause.

The Florida Panthers expect to have defenseman Radko Gudas in the lineup for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final after he was injured during their Game 2 loss in Las Vegas.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice also confirmed Wednesday that goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will be his starter for Thursday's game after he was pulled in Game 2.

The Panthers trail the Golden Knights 2-0.

Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour went through a life-changing 36 hours this week, from suiting up in his first Stanley Cup Final game to becoming a first-time father.

It wasn't the plan for those events to overlap. And Montour nearly missed the birth of son Kai because of hockey.

Montour was in Las Vegas for Game 1 of the Panthers' series against the Golden Knights on Friday when his wife, Ryian, went into labor back east. Montour didn't find out until after the Panthers' 5-2 loss and was immediately whisked onto a nerve-wracking cross-country flight to Florida.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov in a three-way deal that included the Los Angeles Kings, sources tell ESPN.

Provorov, 26, finished his seventh NHL season with six goals and 21 assists in 82 games for the Flyers, who drafted him seventh overall in 2015. He averaged 23:01 in ice time.

The Florida Panthers have an answer for why Sergei Bobrovsky allowed four goals and was pulled early in their 7-2 defeat Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Their response? It's not Bobrovsky's fault that the Golden Knights have a 2-0 series lead. It's on the rest of the team.

Down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk hasn't lost his confidence. Instead, he's doubling down.

"(The Vegas Golden Knights) are halfway there and hopefully they're thinking about that a little bit when they're coming back to Florida," Tkachuk said following his team's 7-2 loss in Game 2 on Monday night.

Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and started an early blitz that chased the NHL's hottest postseason goaltender, and Adin Hill continued his stellar play as the Vegas Golden Knights seized control of the Stanley Cup Final with a 7-2 victory over the Florida Panthers to take a 2-0 series lead Monday night.

Hill made 29 saves, and Marchessault had an assist to finish with three points. Marchessault's 12 postseason goals set a Golden Knights record, with all coming after the first round as Vegas continues to show off its depth and drive.

The Anaheim Ducks have hired Greg Cronin to be their next head coach, the team announced Monday.

Cronin, who was the head coach for the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate, will be an NHL head coach for the first time in his career. The 60-year-old Cronin had spent five years with the Colorado Eagles and guided the team to the playoffs four times. Previously, Cronin was also the head coach of the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

He replaces Dallas Eakins, who was dismissed after four seasons. 

Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled from Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final after the Florida Panthers goalie allowed four goals on 13 shots in just over 27 minutes against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

Alex Lyon replaced Bobrovsky following Brett Howden's goal at 7:10 of the second period that gave the Golden Knights a 4-0 lead. Lyon hadn't played since Bobrovsky replaced him in the third period of Game 3 against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round.

Connor Bedard still isn't ready to admit what the rest of the hockey world has long assumed: that he'll be selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in this month's NHL draft.

"If they decide to take me, that would be unbelievable," the 17-year-old forward told reporters Monday ahead of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. "But we'll see what happens."