The Los Angeles Kings may already be working toward keeping one of their trade deadline additions beyond this past regular season at the center position.
Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reported this week that Los Angeles has recently held contract talks with veteran forward Scott Laughton, which potentially signals that the organization views him as part of its longer-term roster plans.
"The interest level is high for me, for sure The opportunity I was given here, the guys here, the staff, the way I was treated, my family came down and absolutely loved it. So yeah, the interest level is high. Not the ending you want, but there’s guys in there that really care and I had a lot of fun in the two months I was here."Scott Laughton
This report comes after Laughton indicated in the exit interviews for the Kings this past month that he was interested in staying in Los Angeles going into the future.
Laughton had an immediate impact at the center position for the Kings this past regular season after general manager Ken Holland acquired him on the block at the deadline from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored five goals and added several important points in just over 20 games with Los Angeles following the trade deadline.
He also played an important role during the Kings’ playoff push and first-round postseason series against Colorado. With the Kings still needing additional center depth moving forward, retaining a veteran two-way forward like Laughton could help stabilize part of the middle-six structure.
Scott Laughton was one of just three NHL players this past regular season to record at least 120 hits, multiple game-winning goals, and a faceoff percentage above 58%. pic.twitter.com/rBSEE0WCZ4
— Rink Royalty (@RinkRoyalty) May 20, 2026
While I do think that Laughton's future in Los Angeles could become tied to the Kings' coaching decision behind the bench this offseason, his value is still very strong in the middle of the roster on both sides of the ice. Laughton brings veteran leadership and versatility, traits that could become even more important for a Kings team undergoing changes this offseason.
Re-signing Laughton would not solve every offensive concern facing the Kings this offseason, but it could help preserve the type of depth, physicality, and defensive reliability that playoff teams often prioritize.
Laughton’s versatility, physicality, penalty-killing ability, and faceoff reliability make him the type of depth forward many playoff teams prioritize entering the postseason.
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