The Los Angeles Kings have spent the early portion of the offseason taking care of organizational depth.
After signing both Aatu Jamsen and Martin Chromiak to one-year, two-way contracts, the Kings may not be finished retaining talent from the Ontario Reign. Several important contract decisions still remain for the Kings as they continue preparing for the 2026-27 season.
The Los Angeles Kings have addressed organizational depth, but several key roster decisions could shape the franchise's future this offseason
While the Kings continue building organizational depth, several more significant contract decisions still loom this offseason. But it's also worth monitoring which players the Kings and the front office this offseason are looking to re-sign contract extension deals for the upcoming 2026-27 season and going into the future.
A handful of impending restricted and unrestricted free agents for Holland and the Kings this summer could reshape the direction of the franchise going into the future, especially with a new head coach in Peter Laviolette coming aboard next season.
Here are three important contract situations to watch after the Kings re-signed Aatu Jamsen and Martin Chromiak earlier this offseason.
Scott Laughton, C
In the last couple of months of this past regular season, the Kings got a lot of value out of the trade deadline acquisition from the Toronto Maple Leafs and veteran center Scott Laughton.
I think there's a good chance that the Kings ultimately decide to bring Laughton back on a one or two-year contract deal going into the upcoming 2026-27 season. The Kings need more center depth in the middle of the roster lineup next season, and it's also worth noting that Laughton played his first two years in the league with the Philadelphia Flyers under new Los Angeles head coaching hire Peter Laviolette.
Among the Kings' remaining free agents, Laughton may be the easiest fit to project. He filled an important need after arriving at the trade deadline and provides valuable center depth at a position where Los Angeles still has significant questions following Anze Kopitar's retirement.
The veteran center market is relatively thin in free agency this summer, making Laughton an even more logical fit for the Kings. And Laughton showed this past regular season down the stretch and after the trade deadline that he was a good fit with the Kings in the middle of the roster lineup offensively and on both sides of the ice.
If the Kings want stability at center while continuing to search for a long-term solution, bringing Laughton back on a short-term deal would make a lot of sense.
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