The Kings are getting a familiar veteran back in the mix tonight, and they’re making another roster move to clear the way.
Los Angeles has activated Mats Zuccarello ahead of its game against the Nashville Predators, confirming the news after ESPN’s Emily Kaplan first reported he would return. The 39-year-old winger is back on a one-year, $1MM deal he signed with the Kings this past offseason, and he’s still within reach of a major bonus: Los Angeles owes him a $5MM signing bonus once he hits 10 games played. After multiple injuries have already interrupted his 2026-27 season, he’s only four games shy of that mark.
Zuccarello’s latest stint on injured reserve appears tied to the shoulder issues that have followed him since preseason. He has appeared in just six games this year, collecting one assist. That said, the Kings are betting there’s still useful hockey left in his game, even if the days of playing a full season are behind him.
The injuries have become part of the story with Zuccarello over the last several years. The Oslo, Norway native hasn’t reached 70 games in a season since 2022-23, but his production with Minnesota still shows what he can bring when healthy.
Over his final three seasons with the Wild, he put up 46 goals and 171 points in 197 games while averaging 19:05 of ice time per night. He may not see that kind of even-strength workload in Los Angeles, but he can still drive offense as a playmaker, especially alongside a forward who likes to shoot.
That fit could be coming soon. Kaplan also reported that Kevin Fiala is expected back Thursday or Saturday, and the Kings would love to pair him with Zuccarello. Fiala, who has averaged 27 goals per season on an 82-game basis over his 12-year career, has been working back from the leg fracture he suffered at the Winter Olympics earlier this year.
Los Angeles also made another roster move Monday, placing Jan Jeník on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The 26-year-old forward had been recovering from an undisclosed injury and started the season on the Kings’ non-roster injured reserve list.
Jeník, once a promising prospect for the defunct Arizona Coyotes, has spent most of his recent time in the AHL. He is in his second season with the Kings organization after re-signing on a one-year, $850K contract on the first day of free agency this summer. Last season, he played most of his games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, finishing with nine goals and 17 points in 41 contests and a net-zero rating.
In Other News...
Kings Just Made A Jan Jenik Decision Fans Should Watch
The Kings have taken a small but notable roster step with Jan Jenik, joining the Vancouver Canucks in placing a forward on waivers as both clubs sort through depth options early in the season. For Los Angeles, the move is less about the headline and more about flexibility, since Jenik has been on non-roster/injured reserve and has yet to see NHL action this year.
If Jenik clears, the door opens for a straightforward assignment to the AHL, where the Kings can keep him in game shape without burning an NHL spot. It is the kind of transaction that does not change the top of the roster, but it does offer a clearer picture of where the organization thinks he fits for now, and whether he is headed toward the Ontario Reign next. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Are Finally Close To The Offensive Help They Need
The Kings have spent plenty of the season waiting for their offense to get healthier, and help is finally starting to come into view. Kevin Fiala is nearing a return after recovering from the fractured left leg he sustained at the Winter Olympics, a setback that kept one of the teams most dynamic forwards out of the lineup and left Los Angeles searching for more finishing touch up front.
Fiala could be back as soon as the game against the Islanders, though Calgary looks like the more likely landing spot. Veteran Mats Zuccarello is also expected back soon after missing time with an upper-body injury, giving the Kings a chance to add two experienced pieces to a group that could use a lift as the schedule tightens and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Injury Update Leaves One Bigger Question Hanging Over Kevin Fiala
The Kings are starting to get healthier at the right time, with Mats Zuccarello expected back for Tuesdays game against the Nashville Predators after missing six games with an upper-body injury. His return gives Los Angeles a needed boost up front, especially with the lineup still feeling the effects of a few recent absences and the club trying to steady itself entering another stretch of the schedule.
Kevin Fiala remains the name to watch. He is close to returning, but Tuesday will come too soon as he continues working his way back from surgery on a lower leg fracture suffered at the Olympics, and he could be available later in the week. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson also missed recent practices and may not be ready for Tuesday, leaving the Kings with at least one more lineup decision to sort out before puck drop. [Read more 🡒]