Kings sign Erik Haula to two-year contract
The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with unrestricted free agent center Erik Haula, according to multiple reports.
Haula, 35, spent the 2025-26 season with the Nashville Predators, collecting 14 goals and 38 points in 81 games. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the 5’11” forward will earn an average of $3.6 million over his two-year deal with the Kings.
In addition to his time with Nashville in 2025-26, Haula also represented Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, collecting three goals and six points in six games and winning a bronze medal.
Erik Haula 2 x $3.6M Los Angeles
A product of Pori, Finland, Haula will now join his eighth NHL club since making his debut with the Minnesota Wild in the 2013-14 season. The Wild originally selected Haula in the seventh round (No. 182 overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Haula spent his first four NHL seasons with the Wild before being claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He enjoyed the best year of his career with Vegas in 2017-18, collecting 29 goals and 55 points in 79 games before helping the club reach the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
After leaving Vegas in 2019, Haula spent very brief periods of time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and the Predators before signing with the Boston Bruins ahead of the 2021-22 season. He scored 18 goals and 44 points in his lone year with Boston before being dealt to the New Jersey Devils in a one-for-one trade for Pavel Zacha.
Haula remained in New Jersey for three full seasons, marking the second-longest tenure with one team in his NHL career. Shortly after the end of the 2024-25 season, the Devils sent Haula back to Nashville in exchange for prospect Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
In 840 career NHL games over parts of 13 seasons with Minnesota, Vegas, Carolina, Florida, Nashville, Boston, and New Jersey, Haula has collected 167 goals and 375 points. He’s added 16 goals and 37 points in 78 career playoff contests.