At the trade deadline during the 2025-26 season, the Kings acquired Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional 3rd-round pick. Laughton's impact on the Kings was significant enough that, when their season ended, the Kings expressed interest in keeping him. 

With Laughton becoming a King only after the 2026 NHL trade deadline, his play is based on a small sample size. Laughton played 21 games for the Kings, scoring 5 goals, tallying 3 assists for 8 points. Laughton played primarily on the 3rd line for the Kings as a centerman, averaging 17 minutes with the Kings. 

Laughton covers lots of different areas for the Kings. He is a strong two-way centerman who is also a strong penalty killer. Laughton is also very strong on faceoffs, which is extremely important for the Kings, as their biggest gaps in the lineup are at centre. That is where the Kings' value of having Scott Laughton on their team lies: in the areas they need the most help, he can be that guy for the Kings, which is why, before free agency, he was a top priority for the Kings. 

Before signing with the Kings at 3 years, $3.5 Million, his previous contract was 5 years at 3 Million AAV. Overall, this deal is pretty good for the Kings, as they don't spend a huge amount on Laughton but still keep him for 3 years at a good price. Overall, Scott Laughton's style of play brings a lot of value to himself and the Kings because not only do the Kings like all aspects of his game, but he is also only 32 and still fully capable of playing elite-level hockey for the next couple of seasons. The Kings did well both by keeping a valuable player and by getting a good deal.