Scott Laughton is enjoying his time with the Los Angeles Kings.
The 31-year-old veteran centre has scored five goals and two assists over 16 games since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the trade deadline in early March.
The Kings, who defeated the Maple Leafs in a 7-6 overtime thriller on Saturday, currently own a 32-26-19 record with 83 points, just one point behind the Nashville Predators for the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
With five games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Kings have one game in hand over the Preds.
“My parents were down for the last week, so that was nice to kind of show them around. It’s definitely a big change,” Laughton said Wednesday morning during an appearance on TSN 1050’s First Up. “I haven’t played on the West Coast. It’s a five-and-a-half-hour flight from home, so it’s been a little different, but it’s been amazing, honestly. Just the opportunity I’ve been given here.”
Kings interim head coach D.J. Smith, who took over for Jim Hiller on March 1, also coached Laughton during his three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals from 2010 to 2013. The familiarity with his junior hockey bench boss has helped with the sudden transition, said Laughton.
“Obviously, [I] know the coach from Junior and he’s given me a pretty good leash and a pretty good runway here. The hockey aspect has been a ton of fun for me, then to get out of the rink and to be able to walk with your kid to a patio and go to the beach with them. It’s been a lot of fun, so it’s definitely different, but the way the organization treats you here has been very special.”
Laughton, a native of Oakville, Ont., says it was a “dream come true” to play for the Leafs despite the results on the ice, especially this season, not meeting expectations.
Laughton admits it was “unsettling” not knowing his hockey future in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
“I still had a blast getting to know all those guys and the staff there is fantastic,” said Laughton. “It was definitely a whirlwind near the end of it, and just not knowing where you’re going to go or if you’re going to go, so it’s a little bit unsettling for sure.”
Laughton didn’t record a point in his first game against his former team over the weekend and even got in a scuffle with Michael Knies following a goal which led to a stint in the penalty box.
“He [Knies] didn’t even say anything bad, but that was the second power-play goal they scored,” said Laughton “I was on for both, so I was a little upset and gave him a light cross-check. I thought it was a weaker call, but definitely not the smartest on my part.”
NHL: Maple Leafs 6, Kings 7 (OT) Quinton Byfield scored 2:33 into overtime, Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists, and the Kings beat the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. With the win, Los Angeles moved into a tie with Nashville for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Things have not gotten any easier in Toronto since Laughton’s departure as general manager Brad Treliving was fired last month after less than three seasons with the club.
In an ensuing press conference, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Keith Pelley said the organization needed to fix their culture and be more aligned as a group.
Laughton said he has a “ton of respect” for the players and staff on the Maple Leafs.
“I have a lot of respect for him [Treliving] and the way he treated me in my time while I was there, just in the little conversations we had. But obviously when something big like that happens, it’s a change for the group,” explained Laughton. “Even what happened to [Auston] Matthews with [Radko] Gudas, I think the way they’re playing now and the way they played against us, like a little scrum everyone’s in it, and obviously you don’t want it to get to that point where Matthews is out for the year, but I know that group cares.”
“There’s a ton of guys in that room that really care about the team and want them to do well. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. I got a ton of respect for a lot of guys in that room, the way they handle themselves, the way they take care of themselves and care for the Maple Leafs. I got nothing but good things to say about a lot of those guys in there and the staff that puts in the long hours that nobody sees.”
The Maple Leafs acquired Laughton and two late-round draft picks from the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of last year’s trade deadline in exchange for a 2027 conditional first-round pick (top 10 protected) as well as winger Nikita Grebenkin.
Laughton struggled during his brief time in Toronto, scoring just two goals with two assists over 20 games to close the 2024-25 regular season, then adding two more assists across 13 playoff games last spring.
Laughton produced eight goals and four assists over 43 games with the Leafs this season before being dealt to the Kings for a 2026 conditional third-round pick, a trade that was scrutinized by many hockey pundits as poor asset management. The pick will turn into a second-round selection if the Kings are able to qualify for the postseason.
Laughton is in the final season of a five-year, $15 million contract and will be a free agent this summer.
“I haven’t even really thought about it [free agency]. I think you think about it right when you get traded and all that, but once I’ve settled in here, I think my focus is on trying to get in the playoffs here and see where that goes,” Laughton explained. “And then once the summer hits, you kind of navigate through everything. But no, the way they’ve treated me here has been amazing and I’m just having a lot of fun playing for [interim head coach] DJ [Smith] and playing with these guys and getting a good opportunity here.”
The Kings host the last-place Vancouver Canucks on Thursday and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday before hitting the road for their final three games of the season against the Seattle Kraken, Canucks and Calgary Flames.
