Scott Laughton didn’t need much convincing once free agency opened. The fit in Los Angeles had already done most of the work.
Laughton said the Kings were “for sure at the top of the list after the year ended,” and he made clear why he wanted to stay. The people around the team mattered, but so did the way the roster was being shaped by Kenny. Laughton pointed to the changes as a reason he wanted back in, even while acknowledging that replacing Kopi’s leadership and all-around impact was impossible.
“[The Kings] were for sure at the top of the list after the year ended, I thought the fit was seamless,” Laughton said. “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 comfort level showed up on the ice, too. The Kings were in the middle of a transition at the 2026 trade deadline, still hanging around the playoff race but not exactly a sure thing.
As they shifted out multiple veteran players to add future assets, they still wanted to keep pushing for a postseason spot. Laughton stepped into that environment and settled the third-line center job, giving the team steady value in a role that needed it.
The deal also made sense from the Kings’ bigger-picture view. They’re not rebuilding, but they’re not a finished contender either, and that means the money has to be spent carefully.
The organization needed to avoid overcommitting to depth pieces that could clog the books later. With the cap expected to rise and other contracts eventually coming off the ledger, Los Angeles is trying to keep itself flexible for bigger additions down the road.
Laughton’s contract fit that plan.
For Laughton, the appeal was just as clear. He wanted term, and he wanted the stability that comes with it. He said security has always mattered to him, and after years of moving around, that mattered even more.
“Even when I was back in Philly, I signed a five-year deal and I think security has always been important to me,” Laughton detailed. “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. Those guys were amazing with me, so yeah, I wanted to be a part of it and be a part of that group.”
The three-year deal gave him that stability, even if it meant leaving some money behind. From the Kings’ side, that’s the kind of value that helps them keep building without boxing themselves in. They added four forwards who are likely to be on the Opening Night roster, and contracts like Laughton’s, along with Mats Zuccarello’s bonus-laden deal, helped the whole summer come together without piling on too much long-term risk.
Laughton said the family side of the move played a major role, too, and that the experience in Los Angeles made the decision easier. He also pointed to the culture around the team and the way those final months stuck with him.
“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,” Laughton said of returning. “The on-ice component, too, obviously, we got swept by Colorado, but I think the culture was something that stuck out to me.
There are certain moments throughout a year where it kind of sticks with you and there was a lot of those in the last couple months there and I kind of held on to those. The market is what it is and I was comfortable at what I signed, and really comfortable at where I'm going to be for the next three years, and really excited about it.”
In Other News...
Kings May Still Have One More Blue Line Move In Them
The first day of free agency gave the Kings a flurry of activity, with the front office adding several players while still leaving the roster with a few obvious questions on the blue line. Even after that busy opening, the club is working with only limited cap room, which means any further move has to be both affordable and targeted.
One area that still looks unsettled is the back end, where the Kings could use another defenseman who brings some mobility and a bit of offense without pushing the budget too far. The fit seems to line up with the kind of depth addition this team can still make, but for now the next move remains a matter of reading the roster and the cap sheet rather than anything confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Three Kings Prospects Are Already Forcing Their Way Onto The Radar
The Kings wrapped up their four-day development camp with a Black-and-White scrimmage at their training facility, and a few prospects made sure they were noticed before heading back into the summer. Second-round pick Liam Lefebvre was among the standouts, showing the kind of offensive touch that can turn a quiet prospect week into a real talking point, while Vojtech Cihar worked his way back to full speed after an injury on the first day.
Daniel Walters also left a mark on the camp with his physical edge and his ability to finish plays, adding multiple goals along the way. For a group that came in simply looking to learn and get reps, the bigger takeaway is that a few names already look like they belong on the radar, even if there is still plenty of runway before any of them are pushing for anything more serious. [Read more 🡒]