- Kings signed Corey Perry, Mats Zuccarello, Erik Haula and Erik Gustafsson on Day 1 of free agency
- Los Angeles finished 29th in goals per game last season and needed cheap scoring help
- Read below for the full veteran haul and what GM Ken Holland said about it
The Los Angeles Kings needed goals. So they went shopping for veterans on the cheap.
Ken Holland spent the first day of free agency stacking short-term deals, and the headliner is a familiar face. Corey Perry is heading back to Los Angeles.
Los Angeles made it official Wednesday night:
Perry signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus bonuses. The 41-year-old winger skated for the Kings earlier last season before a March trade sent him to Tampa Bay, and now he is back for his 22nd NHL season.
Mats Zuccarello came aboard on the same kind of deal. The 38-year-old forward signed for one year at $1 million with bonuses that can push the number higher.
Take a look at the Zuccarello announcement:
The shopping continued from there. Holland added 35-year-old center Erik Haula on a two-year deal at $3.6 million per season and 34-year-old defenseman Erik Gustafsson on a one-year, $1 million contract.
Center Scott Laughton stuck around too, re-signing for three years at $3.5 million per season.
Holland was blunt about why Los Angeles leaned on aging bodies. “To try to add some offense, we had to be creative,” the general manager said.
The math backs him up. Los Angeles finished 29th in goals per game at 2.68 and 28th on the power play at 17.0 percent last season, then scored five goals total as Colorado swept them in the first round.
Captain Anze Kopitar retired after that series and took the franchise scoring record with him. Holland is also banking on a full season of Artemi Panarin, a healthy Kevin Fiala and a new staff under Peter Laviolette to wake up the attack.
Zuccarello talked about what the Kings want from him. “They feel like they could play a little bit more offensive-minded at times,” he said. “Hopefully, I can contribute with that.”
None of these deals runs long, and none carries much risk. Cheap and short is exactly what a team that ran out of goals in April was after.
