Report: Kings acquire Scott Laughton from Leafs for draft pick

A team on the playoff bubble is adding a little bit of depth to hopefully help the team down the stretch.

Per multiple reports, right at the bell on NHL Trade Deadline Day, the Los Angeles Kings acquired forward Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Per Kings reporter John Hoven, the Leafs are receiving a third-round pick.

The year of the draft pick has yet to be announced. Per ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the pick becomes a second-round pick if the Kings qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Laughton’s name started to circulate heading into Friday’s deadline, as it became apparent that the stumbling Maple Leafs were going to be sellers, with the 31-year-old among the names being held out of action for trade-related purposes. Another one of those players was forward Bobby McMann, who was dealt to the Seattle Kraken on Friday as well.

Laughton, who was traded to Toronto by the Philadelphia Flyers at last year’s deadline, is a glue guy who provides a little bit of grit further down the lineup and can be relied upon to be on the ice in key situations.

In missing several games due to injuries earlier in the season, the Oakville, Ont. native has appeared in 43 games, scoring eight goals and four assists for 12 points. He’s in the final season of his five-year contract that he signed with the Flyers in April 2021. The deal has an AAV of $3 million.

The addition of Laughton also fills a spot that the Kings opened up when they moved veteran forward Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in the day. Laughton has played in 724 regular-season games, scoring 116 goals and 165 assists for 281 points, with 12 points in 37 postseason games.

The Kings (25-22-14) are sixth in the Pacific Division, three points back of the Kraken for the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Leafs (27-25-11) are seventh in the Atlantic Division, eight points out of a Wild Card position in the East.