Kings hire Laviolette, add Haula, Perry, Zuccarello

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts Sept. 29. Today, the Los Angeles Kings:

2025-26 season: 35-27-20, finished fourth in the Pacific Division; Lost in the Western Conference First Round

Key arrivals

Mats Zuccarello, F: The 38-year-old signed a one-year contract July 1. He had 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 59 regular-season games for the Minnesota Wild and nine points (two goals, seven assists) in eight playoff games last season. … Erik Haula, F: The 35-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1. He had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 81 games with the Nashville Predators last season. … Corey Perry, F: The 41-year-old returns for his second stint with Los Angles, signing a one-year contract July 1. He had 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 50 games for the Kings last season before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 6. Perry had nine points (six goals, three assists) in 22 games for Tampa Bay and did not have a point in seven playoff games. …  Erik Gustafsson, D: The 34-year-old signed a one-year contract July 1. He did not have a point in two games with the Detroit Red Wings but had 37 points (four goals, 33 assists) in 39 games with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. ... Peter Laviolette, coach: The seventh-winningest coach in NHL history was hired June 9 after not coaching since being fired by the New York Rangers in 2025. In 23 seasons with the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators Washington Capitals and Rangers, the 61-year-old is 846-562-161 with 25 ties in 1,594 games. He led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006, and reached the Cup Final with the Flyers (2010) and Predators (2017).

Key departures

Anze Kopitar, F: After 20 seasons, all with Los Angeles, the 38-year-old retired. He had 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 67 games last season and left as the Kings all-time leader with 1,316 points (452 goals, 864 assists) in 1,521 games. Kopitar won the Stanley Cup twice with Los Angeles (2012, 2014) and was Kings captain the past 10 seasons. … Andrei Kuzmenko, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1. The 30-year-old had 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 52 games for Los Angeles last season.

On the Cusp

Henry Brzustewicz, D: Selected in the first round (No. 31) in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old had 54 points (19 goals, 35 assists) in 59 regular-season games and two assists in five playoff games with London of the Ontario Hockey League last season, and also played in five AHL playoff games with Ontario. He’s expected to challenge for a roster spot this season. … Grant Slukynsky, F: The 24-year-old undrafted free agent signed a one-year, entry-level contract April 2 after after spending three seasons at Western Michigan University. He had 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists) in 39 games last season. He signed the same day his younger brother and WMU teammate, goalie Hampton Slukynsky, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kings after being picked in the fourth round (No. 118) of the 2023 NHL Draft. … Koehn Ziemmer, F: Selected in the third round (No. 78 pick) in the 2023 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old had 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 57 games with Ontario last season. He is expected to return to the AHL this season but could make his NHL debut at some point during the season.

What they still need

More depth at center to help make up for the loss of Kopitar. The Kings signed Scott Laughton to a three-year contract July 1, after acquiring him in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Keeping Laughton, who had eight points (five goals, three assists)  and won 59.4 percent of his face-offs in 21 games with the Kings, is a positive, but Los Angeles still could use more help down the middle.

They said it

"I thought the moves (general manager Ken Holland) made (July 1) definitely strengthened our team. You lose 'Kopi,' you're not going to fill that role; leadership, play everything that comes into it. But I thought Kenny did a really good job, and I wanted to be part of it." -- Scott Laughton

EDGE stat to watch

Zuccarello looks to translate his strong offensive performance with Minnesota last season to his new team in Los Angeles. The veteran wing, who frequently played on a line with Kirill Kaprizov with the Wild, nearly was a point-per-game player during the regular season and playoffs combined (63 points in 67 games) and had strong advanced metrics. Despite missing 23 games last season, Zuccarello ranked in the 96th percentile among forwards in offensive zone time percentage (46.7 percent) and in the 94th percentile in midrange goals (11). -- Pete Jensen

Fantasy spin

Brandt Clarke had NHL career highs in points (40), goals (eight), assists (32), power-play points (13), shots on goal (159) and blocked shots (185) in 82 games last season and was one of three NHL defensemen to have at least 40 points, 150 shots on goal and 180 blocked shots (others: Moritz Seider, Noah Dobson). The No. 8 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft has breakout potential as he's expected to play on the first power play with Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield and Zuccarello, who is averaging 25.4 power-play points per season since 2021-22. -- Chris Meaney

Projected lineup

Artemi Panarin -- Quinton Byfield -- Adrian Kempe

Kevin Fiala -- Erik Haula -- Mats Zuccarello

Trevor Moore -- Scott Laughton -- Alex Laferriere

Joel Armia -- Samuel Helenius -- Corey Perry

Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson -- Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin -- Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg