Kings Sign Mats Zuccarello to One Year Deal Worth $1 Million
Los Angeles adds the 38-year-old Norwegian winger after seven seasons in Minnesota, banking on veteran offense at a low cost.
The Los Angeles Kings signed Mats Zuccarello to a one-year contract worth $1 million plus bonuses on July 1, according to sportsnet.ca and thehockeynews.com. The deal includes a $5 million bonus if Zuccarello plays 10 games, per GM Ken Holland.
Zuccarello, 38, spent seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild after signing there as a free agent in July 2019. He scored 15 goals and added 39 assists for 54 points in 59 games last season, missing the start of the year with a back and lower-body injury. In the playoffs, he posted two goals and nine points in eight games before Minnesota was eliminated by Colorado in the second round.
The move reunites Zuccarello with coach Peter Laviolette, who now leads the Kings. Los Angeles also signed 41-year-old Corey Perry to a one-year, $1 million deal and added center Scott Laughton on a three-year contract at $3.5 million per season.
Zuccarello's departure from Minnesota followed what Wild GM Bill Guerin acknowledged was a communication breakdown. Guerin told reporters he took too long to reach out after the season, saying Zuccarello "probably deserved better than that." thehockeynews.com reported Zuccarello was "ticked" at the Wild over the lack of contact.
The Norwegian winger, who went undrafted and played nine seasons with the New York Rangers before joining Minnesota, has 232 goals and 512 assists for 744 points in 963 career games. He averaged about 21 power-play points per season in Minnesota, where he was a consistent linemate for Kirill Kaprizov.
Zuccarello told nhl.com the Kings "feel like they could play a little bit more offensive-minded at times. Hopefully, I can contribute with that."
