The Kings locked up Jared Wright on a two-year extension today, a move that comes just one day after the winger got his first recall of the season. According to the team announcement, the deal starts next season and carries an AAV of $925K, which means Wright will make the minimum salary in each year of the contract.
Wright, 23, has moved quickly from prospect to depth option for Los Angeles. The Kings selected him in the sixth round in 2022, taking him 169th overall, and he spent three seasons at Denver University before turning pro late in the 2024-25 campaign. He saw a handful of games with AHL Ontario after finishing his college run with 17 points in 44 games for the Pioneers.
His first full pro season was split between the Reign and the Kings. In the minors, Wright put up 17 goals and 13 assists in 54 games.
That production earned him a longer look with Los Angeles, where he appeared in 23 games and recorded four assists along with 18 blocks and 27 hits while averaging 11:26 of ice time in a bottom-six role. He also dressed for all four of the Kings’ playoff games, though he did not register a point.
For now, Wright is expected to stay in a similar role while up to cover for Mats Zuccarello’s injury. He opened the season with three points in two games for the Reign before the recall.
There is also a roster-management layer to this move. Wright is 33 games from becoming waiver-eligible, though he remains technically exempt through next season if he does not reach 60 total NHL appearances, including regular season and playoffs, by then. If Los Angeles wants to keep him around as injury insurance, that number will matter as the season goes on.