Kings' Marquee Signing Set to Miss Weeks After Injury

The Los Angeles Kings are already facing questions about their biggest offseason signing.

Mats Zuccarello is expected to miss the next few weeks with a shoulder injury, leaving the team without one of its most notable additions just three games into the season.

The Kings recalled forward Jared Wright from the AHL’s Ontario Reign early Saturday morning after learning Zuccarello would not travel with the team to Las Vegas. NHL.com’s Zach Dooley reported that the veteran had been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Zuccarello signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles this summer, but he has recorded just one assist through three games and is now facing several weeks away from the lineup. Apparently, banking on a nearly 40-year-old to help strengthen your offense comes with a few issues.

The former Minnesota Wild had been dealing with a shoulder issue during training camp as well, albeit it is unclear whether that problem is related.

In Zuccarello’s absence, Wright gets another opportunity to make an impression. Los Angeles selected Wright in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he has spent the past few seasons working his way through the organization.

Wright has already had a taste of the NHL. He suited up for the Kings 23 times last season, picking up four assists while averaging just over 11 minutes per game. He also chipped in defensively, recording 18 blocked shots and 27 hits.

His offensive numbers were stronger with Ontario, where he scored 17 goals and finished with 30 points in 54 games during the 2025-26 season. Wright has carried that momentum into the new AHL campaign, recording two goals and three points with a plus-one rating through the Reign’s first two games.

Wright now has another chance to establish himself at the NHL level. He is not expected to make a huge impact but the Kings will need contributions from their depth forwards while their marquee offseason signing recovers.