Since being acquired by the Los Angeles Kings at the trade deadline, Scott Laughton has fit in quite nicely as the team continues their push for the playoffs.
In 17 games played with the Kings, the 31-year-old center has scored five goals along with three assists for eight points. Much better production than his previous 43 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs where he recorded just 12 points.
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While the Kings are likely happy with the secondary scoring Laughton has produced, they didn’t acquire him to put up eye popping numbers. They brought him in to continue to play his role, which is one of the best third line centres in the NHL.
Laughton is in the final year of his five-year, $15M deal. After spending most of his career with job security in Philadelphia with the Flyers, Laughton will be heading into unrestricted free agency for the first time, and he is expected to garner a plethora of interest. If the Kings decide to re-sign the veteran forward, what might that contract look like?
Let’s take a look at some players the Kings and Laughton could use as comparisons in potential contract negotiations.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau – New York Islanders
In March, the New York Islanders signed 33-year-old forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year deal worth $14.55M ($4.85M AAV).
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This season, Pageau has recorded 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 71 games played. So like Laughton, the veteran forward has provided the Isles with solid secondary scoring while also playing a respectable two-way game.
Ryan Poehling – Anaheim Ducks
Near the trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks signed 27-year-old forward to a four-year deal worth $15M ($3.75M AAV).
In his first season with the Ducks, Poehling has been an underrated part of their success. In 72 games played, he has 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points while playing a good two-way game in the bottom six.
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Christian Dvorak – Philadelphia Flyers
Back in January, the Philadelphia Flyers and Christian Dvorak agreed on a five-year deal worth $25.75M ($5.15M AAV).
This season has been a career-year for Dvorak who has 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 78 games played. While obviously producing more offence this season, his previous seasons are a lot more comparable to Laughton’s.
Alex Wennberg – San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks and Alex Wennberg agreed to a three-year deal worth $18M ($6M AAV) back in January.
This season, the 31-year-old has had a really solid season, scoring 18 goals to go with 36 assists for 54 points in 77 games. Similar to Dvorak, Wennberg has had a much better offensive season compared to years past, which could be used as a comparison for Laughton.
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What Should The Kings Pay Laughton?
Based on his production and looking at comparisons, the Los Angeles Kings have the means to bring back Scott Laughton who has been a great fit in their bottom six.
Although it may seem crazy after looking at his statistics, Laughton’s next contract could look similar to a mixture of all the players listed above. With the quickly rising every year, unrestricted free agents will continue to get overpaid due to the urgency to get a deal done.
If the Kings and Laughton can come to an agreement on a contract in the summer, I would expect the contract to be three to five years, paying him an AAV of $4.75M to $5.5M per season.
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Official Prediction: Scott Laughton signs four-year deal worth $5.25M AAV to remain a Los Angeles King.
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