With the departure of veteran forwards Anze Kopitar (retirement) and Andrei Kuzmenko (to PIT in free agency), Los Angeles re-stocked their forward crew with free agent forwards Mats Zuccarello, Erik Haula and Corey Perry. Kings’ forward prospect Francesco Pinelli (42nd overall in 2021) hopes to add to that forward group this season. Also, LA signed veteran d-man Eric Gustaffson hoping to add scoring punch from the blueline. Like Pinelli up front, LA d-man prospect Henry Brzustewicz (31st overall in 2025) hopes to further strengthen the Kings d-corps in 2026-27.
This appears to be a do-or-die year for the 23-year-old Pinelli, as he has yet to see NHL action despite a three-year professional career. Praised for his elite hockey IQ and accurate wrist shot, the former 2nd-rounder has not produced the sort of high-octane scoring he did in junior hockey, averaging slightly more than half a point per game for the AHL’s Ontario Reign last season. Many in the scouting world believe this season will determine whether he can be a consistent producer at the NHL level, or simply become an AHL depth piece.
Brzustewicz, on the other hand, is on the other side of the prospect scale. The 19-year-old blue liner is still developing an exceptional two-way game, resulting in a 5-game stint with Ontario this past spring, following a near point-per-game effort with the OHL’s London Knights in 2025-26. Although he is projected to return to London this upcoming season, look for Brzustewicz to generate much discussion at the Kings’ upcoming training camp.
Adding experience, in addition to the above-mentioned incoming free agents, is Head Coach Peter Laviolette, who was hired June 9. Laviolette brings with him 23 years of NHL head-coaching experience, and has three Stanley Cup Finals (and one Cup) to his credit.
