PuckSleuth
36

Los Angeles Kings · Right wing · Shoots L

Mats Zuccarello

Age 39 · 5'8" · 181 lb · Born in Oslo, NOR

Cap hit

$1M

1.0% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$7.049M

vs. $8.049M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

GP

1

Goals

0

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

17:59

PP 5:02 · PK 0:00

xGF%

59.0

5v5, +4.5 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.14

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

+2

Blocks 0 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 30
@ COL · L 8-4
0000017:595:020:00—10010+2+0.14
May 13
@ COL · OTL 4-3
0001218:571:120:00—6711-1-0.30
May 11
vs COL · L 5-2
0021119:544:090:00—6011-2-0.47
May 9
vs COL · W 5-1
0231017:273:110:000-150100+0.75
May 5
@ COL · L 5-2
0131019:042:470:001-010010-1-0.26

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 848 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%54.5%

83rd percentile

Relative xGF%+4.4

85th percentile

HDCF%52.8%

69th percentile

CF%50.1%

60th percentile

Relative CF%+2.8

83rd percentile

FF%51.3%

68th percentile

GF%50.0%

51st percentile

CF/6060.7

73rd percentile

CA/6060.4

29th percentile

ixG/601.13

65th percentile

Goals above expected-0.9

45th percentile

IPP73.8%

79th percentile

PDO99.8

51st percentile

OZS%64.2%

82nd percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleHigh-volume playmaker

Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26

Zuccarello is a ball distributor who finds teammates with precision and enters the zone with speed and creativity. He's not a physical player and has lost a step athletically, relying on positioning and smarts to stay relevant.

Pass-firstElite playmakerSlowing down
Shooting volume
57
Playmaking
92
Zone entries(est.)
79
Forechecking
5
Physicality
5
Defensive impact
44
Puck management
22
Speed
10

Where he shoots from

Slot 44% · Mid-range 39% · Perimeter 17%(195 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Playmaking elite at 92nd percentile among wingers
  • Strong zone entry ability via rush chances at 79th percentile
  • Shot location quality with 44% from slot

Watch-outs

  • Forechecking intensity in bottom 5%, needs defensive help
  • Speed now in 10th percentile, limits transition impact
  • Puck management at 22nd percentile, turnovers a concern

Similar style: Jackson Blake (CAR), Matvei Gridin (CGY)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 59 GP · goals above average

Season total +6.2 goals, or +0.10 per game.

Even strength offense
+1.1
Even strength defense
+0.2
Power play
+1.1
Finishing
-0.8
Playmaking
+3.6
Penalties
+0.9
Faceoffs
-0.1

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-SOGTOI/GPFO%GS/GP
2026-27LAK1000+2017:59—+0.14
2025-26MIN59153954-512218:3945.0%+0.10
2024-25MIN69193554015119:39—+0.15
2023-24MIN69125163-517318:5437.5%+0.14
2022-23MIN78224567-319820:1240.0%+0.15

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 39, forwards typically produce —% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
19.2 mph
7th pct
20+ mph bursts
0
Hardest shot
—
Distance
2.6 mi
OZ time
51.5%
97th pct
DZ time
31.6%