The Los Angeles Kings have signed winger Mats Zuccarello to a one-year contract for $1 million plus bonuses, forward Erik Haula to a two-year contract with a $3.6 million AAV, and forward Corey Perry to a one-year contract worth $1 million.

Zuccarello finished the 2025-26 season with 54 points – an identical point total to his 2024-25 season total, but in 10 fewer games. Included in that total were 21 power-play points, fourth on an outstanding Wild power play. Something to keep in mind is that Zuccarello has failed to reach 70 games in each of his past three seasons, while he will turn 39 in September. Hence, the one-year deal.  

The 35-year-old Haula recorded 38 points in 81 games for Nashville in 2025-26. Over the past three seasons, he has not reached 40 points, although he brings faceoff volume to the Kings. Aside from last season, Haula usually averages over a 50 percent success rate in the faceoff dot.  

The 41-year-old Perry returns for his 23^rd NHL season in 2026-27. The Kings traded Perry at the 2026 trade deadline to Tampa Bay for a second-round pick. Perry recorded 37 points in 72 games in 2025-26, including 13 power-play points.

The Kings featured a bottom-5 power play in 2025-26 (17.0% success rate) with power-play regular Anze Kopitar retiring on top of that. Zuccarello has been a major power-play producer for much of his time in Minnesota, reaching at least 20 power-play points in four of his past five seasons there. No one on the Kings reached 20 power-play points last season, so he could help boost the first unit. The Kings have six legitimate options to choose from on for the top power play: Zuccarello, Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, and Brandt Clarke. That means Zuccarello is not a lock to be on PP1, but new Kings coach Peter Laviolette would be wise to find a way to slot him in there.

Generally, this signing hurts Zuccarello because of the dropoff from the Wild power play to the Kings power play. It could further hurt him if he is not on the top power play. Byfield was on PP2 more often than PP1 in 2025-26, but the Kings need a center there with Kopitar retiring. Zuccarello should have enough linemates to choose from to have a decent floor at even strength, but his fantasy value is really driven by power-play production.

The Wild are likely moving on from Zuccarello in order to try to fill a void at center. One player that comes to mind is Dylan Larkin, but a lot can change quickly in the offseason.

Haula should fill a low C2-high C3 role for the Kings as constructed now. The Kings have still not addressed the retirement of Kopitar in a meaningful way, but they could further pursue that during the offseason. Haula's fantasy value is minimal unless he finds himself centering a productive second line. For that reason, the signing might help his fantasy value somewhat.

Perry isn't a regular top power-play option anymore, but he could slot in on PP1 in the event of an injury, if the unit needs a shakeup, or if Laviolette decides to spread out deployment evenly. The Kings might have a decent PP2 unit as well with Perry and at least one of the other options listed above.

Players this helps, in order:

Haula

Players this hurts, in order:

Zuccarello

Perry