Scott Laughton didn’t need much convincing to stay in Los Angeles.
After the Kings used the first day of unrestricted free agency to address their depth down the middle by signing Laughton and Erik Haula to multi-year deals, the veteran center made it clear why the return felt so natural. For Laughton, the fit with the Kings went beyond hockey. It was about the people, the role, and the chance to settle in for the long haul.
“The Kings were for sure at the top of the list after the year ended, I thought the fit was seamless. The guys were amazing with me, the staff, everyone that works around it.
I thought the moves that Kenny made definitely strengthened our team. You lose Kopi, you’re not going to fill that role, leadership, play, everything that comes into it, but I thought Kenny did a really good job and I wanted to be part of it.”
That kind of comfort mattered. Laughton had a chance to explore the market and likely command more money elsewhere, but he said the Kings gave him something more valuable: stability. The three-year contract gave him the security he wanted after a stretch that included 12 years in one place and two trades in the same calendar year.
“Even when I was back in Philly, I signed a five-year deal and I think security has always been important to me. I think my family absolutely loved it when we went down there and it was a short period of time, but after playing in the same place for 12 years and getting traded twice in the same calendar year, it’s a pretty big whirlwind for you, especially with a young son. Definitely getting a little bit of term was on my mind and just trying to fit in the best I could in the group that’s already there.”
Laughton’s time with the Kings after the trade deadline only strengthened that feeling. He said the locker room welcomed him, and the organization made life easy for his family, too.
“First and foremost, with how much both me, my wife and my son absolutely loved coming here, everyone from the front office taking care of your wife, taking care of your family away from the rink, I think that’s a huge factor.”
On the ice, the appeal is just as obvious. Laughton brings experience, two-way versatility, grit and physical play - especially in the defensive zone - all traits that fit the identity the Kings and general manager Ken Holland are trying to build in the Pacific Division. He helped give Los Angeles more stability and better matchups after the trade deadline, and the front office clearly saw enough to make bringing him back a priority.
The bigger picture also matters. Laughton said the roster moves Holland made helped convince him that the Kings were headed in the right direction, and he sees a team that can keep pushing toward contention in the Western Conference under Laviolette and staff.
For Laughton, the decision wasn’t just about a contract. It was about a place that already felt like home.
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