LA Kings 2026-27 Season Player Previews: Erik Haula

In our series of 2026-27 Los Angeles Kings season player previews, we're now taking a look at some of the new free-agent signings this summer.

First up on the list is former Nashville Predators veteran center Erik Haula, who spent this past season in the Music City before Los Angeles signed him this offseason in unrestricted free agency. He had a decent year with the Predators this past season, but Nashville ultimately had a tough finish to the end of the year in the Western Conference.

Before spending this past regular season in Nashville, Haula played three seasons with the New Jersey Devils.

Haula was brought to the Kings to help replace some depth in the middle of the lineup by committee after the retirement of Anze Kopitar this offseason.

Erik Haula 2025-26 player season recap

2025-26 season stats: 81 games played, 14 goals, 24 assists, 38 points, -15

2025-26 advanced stats: 11.0 shooting %, 9.3 5-on-5 shooting %, 1.7 points/60, 2.6 point shares, -1.1 WAR

2025-26 possession metrics: 47.8 CF%, 46.6 SCF%, 100.2 PDO, 45.9 HDCF%

In the 2025-26 season, Haula registered 14 goals, 24 assists, and 38 total points in 81 games played for the Predators. Haula and the Predators ultimately fell just a few points short of a playoff spot in the wildcard race in the Western Conference this past spring.

Haula bounced back somewhat offensively in this past regular season with the Predators after a down season with the Devils in the 2024-25 campaign. Helped by playing a career-high 81 games last season, Haula nearly doubled his point total and scored three more goals than the season prior with the Devils.

He was an important two-way physical presence in the middle of the lineup for the Predators. Haula ranked fourth on the team in hits (with over 100) and was second on the team in penalty minutes (64).

Discipline became a particular issue down the stretch, as Haula accumulated more penalty minutes than games played in each of the season's final three months.

Haula was a very versatile forward for the Predators last season, playing valuable minutes both on the wing and at center. He was also a significant contributor on special teams, scoring four goals on the power play while ranking second on the team in minutes played on the penalty kill among the forwards.

This past season, Haula proved that he can still handle playing heavy minutes in his mid-30s.

He also represented Team Finland in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Erik Haula 2026-27 Los Angeles Kings season preview

Earlier this offseason, general manager Ken Holland and the Kings signed Haula to a two-year, $7.2 million contract (worth $3.6 million in average annual value) in unrestricted free agency through the end of the 2027-28 season.

While the Kings are losing Kopitar's 38 points and enormous two-way presence to retirement this offseason, the team won't be asking Haula to completely replace him in the middle of the lineup. Instead, new head coach Peter Laviolette and the Kings will be splitting that responsibility at the center position between Quinton Byfield, Scott Laughton, and Haula together.

We have projected Haula to play on the second forward line this upcoming season alongside playmaking wingers Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Fiala. It's not a guarantee that Haula will win the second-line center job coming out of training camp and the preseason this fall, but this could be a big opportunity for him with the Kings.

It's likely that Haula and Laughton will compete for the second-line center minutes in camp this fall. There is also the option that the Kings try out someone like Adrian Kempe or Alex Laferriere to play more minutes at center in the top-six forward group this upcoming season.

Assuming Haula does play alongside Zuccarello and Fiala this season, he won't need to be a primary playmaker or drive the play offensively. The Kings have Fiala to be the speed and scoring threat, while Zuccarello provides high-end playmaking, and Haula can be the more responsible two-way forward in the middle.

A realistic projection for Haula to have a successful season with the Kings this year would probably be around 12-15 goals and 35-40 total points. Since he's 35 years old, being able to replicate his 14-goal, 38-point performance from this past season (while cutting down on the penalty minutes) would be a decent year for him with the Kings.