Kings sign forward Scott Laughton to three-year contract (AAV: $3,500,000)

The LA Kings have signed forward Scott Laughton to a three-year contract, carrying an AAV of $3,500,000 through the 2028-29 season.

Laughton was acquired by the Kings at the trade deadline a few months back for what ultimately amounted to a second-round pick. The two sides seemed to be a very good fit and clearly there was en elongated negotiation process here with both Laughton and the Kings wanting to get something done here. That came together late in the day at a very manageable hit. Feels pretty good to me.

Instant Analysis
The numbers here are very important for Laughton and the deal he ends up signing is one to be happy with. The center market was extremely bare and when that happens, a player like Laughton could arguably have been a Top-3 center available through free agency. When that happens, the concern is that a player gets overpaid, due to the supply and demand of the market.

With that in mind, when you look at the contract that was actually signed here, this is one I can get behind. That’s a great number on both the term and the

Laughton was a solid third-line center and did a lot of things the Kings needed after he was acquired from Toronto at the deadline. He killed penalties while offering second-power-play minutes. He was excellent in the faceoff dot and would often start 3-on-3 overtime, win the faceoff and make way for Artemi Panarin. He would earn extra minutes as a second center on late-game defensive draws, knowing he could also play on the wing if the faceoff was lost.

He also brought personality and leadership to a locker room that seemed to lose some of the former over the last 12 months. He was a universally loved teammate no matter which city you’re talking about. There’s value in guys like that, especially as the Kings undergo a transition in the post-Anze Kopitar era.

Laughton’s offensive production was right in line with his career numbers. 8 points in 21 games is just over 30 points over 82 games. He’s got five seasons in his career with at least 30 points, which is in line with what you’d probably be looking for in a third-line center. He’s also eclipsed 40 points just once in his career, so what you see is what you get, at least in the short term.

The fit with both Laughton and Erik Haula on board is something that I don’t yet know. Do they play together on the same line? Both players can play center and wing, both players could make sense as a part of a shutdown third line. To be seen and something I’ll dive into later on. For now, though, it’s good value on the contract as Laughton sticks around for three more seasons.

From the team’s official release –

Laughton, 32, registered five goals and eight points (5-3=8) in 21 regular-season games for the Kings last season after being acquired via trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 6, 2025. The forward scored in his Kings debut on March 7 against Montreal followed by a two-point outing (1-1=2) the next game (March 9 vs. Columbus) to become the fifth player since 1999-00 to score in each of his first two games with the Kings. He also suited up in four Stanley Cup Playoff games, averaging 16:27 minutes of time-on-ice per game (TOI/GP).

Originally selected 20th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Draft, Laughton is a veteran of 745 career regular-season NHL games across parts of 13 seasons between the Kings, Maple Leafs (2024-26) and Flyers (2012-25), amassing 121 goals, 289 points (121-168=289), 12 shorthanded goals, 11 game-winning goals, 1,440 hits, 430 blocked shots and 428 PIM. He has added six goals and 12 points (6-6=12) in 41 career Stanley Cup Playoff matchups.

The 6-1, 190-pound forward’s 12 career shorthanded goals and 25 shorthanded points (12-13=25) pace all skaters from his draft class while his 1,440 hits and 430 blocked shots rank fourth and sixth, respectively, among forwards from his draft. Laughton’s best NHL season came in the 2022-23 campaign where he set career-highs in goals (18), points (43), power-play goals (5), shorthanded goals (3), shots (170) and blocked shots (57).

A native of Oakville, Ontario, Laughton has suited up for 105 career American Hockey League (AHL) contests with the Lehigh Valley and Adirondack Phantoms, posting 34 goals and 69 points (34-35=69) along with three points (2-1=3) in five career Calder Cup Playoff outings. Prior to joining the professional ranks full-time, Laughton played four seasons (2010-14) of junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), collecting 96 goals and 219 points (96-123=219) in 230 games. In his fourth and final year with Oshawa, Laughton recorded a team-best 40 goals as part of a personal career-best 80-point campaign (40-47=87) to earn OHL First All-Star Team honors.

Internationally, Laughton has represented Canada in three International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournaments, including the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship (gold), 2014 Men’s World Junior Championship and the 2012 Men’s Under-18 World Junior Championship (gold).