Scott Laughton made his Los Angeles Kings debut on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, just one day after being dealt from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hot start in Los Angeles for Scott Laughton
Laughton tied the game at 2 in the second period, as he spun from the right of the crease, banking it off of Dobes' skate. Post-game, Laughton reflected on his first game as a King, mentioning, “It’s tough at the start, I think, just kind of finding your way around.” “I think everything from off the ice is harder than once you get on the ice, but it’s nice to get into a game right away.”
The Kings acquired Laughton from the Maple Leafs on Friday in exchange for a conditional third-round pick. The third-round pick will become a second-rounder if the Kings are able to sneak into a playoff spot coming down the remainder of the regular season. Following the loss to the Canadiens, the Kings fall to three points outside of the final wild card spot, trailing the Seattle Kraken, who acquired Bobby McMann on Friday.
Vital role within the Kings lineup
The Kings are going to fall in love with the type of player Laughton is. He plays a physical style of hockey while having the ability to play in any scenario. If he is able to add some scoring touch to his arsenal, he can become a very dangerous player for the remainder of the season. Laughton will play key minutes on the Kings' penalty kill, while taking on more responsibility in their bottom six. In his first game with the Kings, Laughton played over 15 minutes, which is well above his season average of 13 minutes with the Maple Leafs.
Laughton is looking to build off on what many see as a great start with the Kings on Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Time will tell if the Maple Leafs got fleeced in two deals involving Laughton over just one season.