Early this offseason, the Los Angeles Kings and general manager Ken Holland signed former Minnesota Wild veteran winger Mats Zuccarello to a one-year, $1 million contract for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
The contract Zuccarello signed with the Kings this summer in unrestricted free agency included up to $5.5 million in performance bonuses.
Zuccarello was brought to Los Angeles to give the Kings a proven playmaker and added production on special teams on the power play in the top six forward group this upcoming season.
Mats Zuccarello 2025-26 player season recap
2025-26 season stats: 59 games played, 15 goals, 39 assists, 54 points, -5
2025-26 advanced stats: 12.3 shooting %, 8.8 5-on-5 shooting %, 2.9 points/60, 4.9 point shares, 0.9 WAR
2025-26 possession metrics: 59.5 CF%, 63.6 SCF%, 100.8 PDO, 61.8 HDCF%
In the 2025-26 season, Zuccarello recorded 15 goals, 39 assists, and 54 total points in 59 games played for the Wild.
He remained very productive for Minnesota in this past regular season, scoring at least 50 total points for the last five consecutive seasons. Despite being 38 years old, Zuccarello was still a top producer offensively for the Wild.
Zuccarello was a key contributor on one of the top teams in the Western Conference in the regular season, scoring clutch goals late in games in the third period in the final frame and making a big impact on special teams on the power play. He registered at least five-game winning goals and five power play goals in the same regular season for the first time in his NHL this past year.
In the postseason last spring, Zuccarello continued his productive output offensively, registering two goals and nine total points in eight games played for the Wild.
Mats Zuccarello 2026-27 Los Angeles Kings season preview
While age is a concern for Zuccarello with the Kings roster this upcoming season, as he just turned 39 years old on Sept. 1, if he remains healthy he'll be a significant contributor offensively for this team.
It might not be realistic to expect Zuccarello to play all 84 games this upcoming regular season. But I don't think the Kings necessarily need him to do that. Instead, the Kings need Zuccarello to provide reliable top-six playmaking in the offensive zone and help to improve the special teams unit on the power play.
This past season, Zuccarello ranked in the top 10 percentile in offensive-zone time percentage and offensive zone start percentage in all situations, despite missing 23 games in the regular season for the Wild. That type of possession ability with the puck in the offensive zone should be a perfect fit in new head coach Peter Laviolette's system that emphasizes spending more time on the attack.
We project Zuccarello to play on the second forward line this upcoming season for the Kings alongside winger Kevin Fiala and center Erik Haula. Zuccarello should also get significant minutes on special teams on the power play for the Kings with the top unit along with star winger Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield, and defenseman Brandt Clarke.
If Zuccarello can play at least 60 to 65 regular season games and score at least 50 total points while boosting the efficiency of the power play on special teams this upcoming season for the Kings, that should be considered a successful campaign for him. That would be reasonable production for this upcoming season and would put him around the same marks statistically he was at this past year for the Wild.
The Kings definitely don't need Zuccarello to turn back Father Time and become the team's top offensive scorer. What they do need is his playmaking and vision with the puck on his stick to boost the top six and to help improve the top power play unit this upcoming season.
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