After the Los Angeles Kings signed NHL veteran Mats Zuccarello to a one-year deal Wednesday morning, his new teammate Scott Laughton gives high praise to the right-wing forward. At 38-years-old, Laughton believes Zuccarello doesn't get the credit he deserves. 

Speaking about the longtime player he's had several battles with on the ice, Laughton called former Minnesota Wild forward "one of the most underrated players in the league," pointing to the veteran winger's ability to create consistent offense in the zone. 

Since arriving in Minnesota in 2019, Zuccarello has totaled 118 goals, 271 assists, and 389 points while averaging 70 games played in his seven-year stint with the Wild. 

Zuccarello can definitely fill up the stat sheet, and, for his age, his reliability, consistency, and the numbers he repeatedly puts up every night are impressive. Despite being a bit undersized at 5-foot-8, Zuccarello's puck protection and impressive playmaking abilities have allowed him to remain an effective top-line contributor in his late 30s.   

While Zuccarello doesn't receive the same attention as many of the NHL's biggest stars, even being snubbed from several All-Star appearances, Laughton's comments reflect the respect and strong chemistry the 38-year-old is gonna have with his teammates in LA after spending years playing against them. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.