The Toronto Maple Leafs left everything to the final buzzer. All day, Leafs Nation was wondering what deals the organization would make to help this team retool. Yesterday, they traded Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche, today they dealt Bobby McMann to the Seattle Kraken. And, now, they’ve announced that they have traded Scott Laughton to the Los Angeles Kings.
Laughton was acquired just one year ago at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Now, he is on his way out of town and heading to California to try and help the Kings push for a playoff spot down the stretch. As for the Maple Leafs, their selling of assets continues.
Full Trade:
Maple Leafs receive:
Conditional 2026 third-round pick
Kings receive:
Scott Laughton
Maple Leafs Restocking Draft Capital
Trade Grade: C
The Maple Leafs have made three trades over the last 24 hours and all of them have seen the return be draft picks. That is ideal for Toronto who are trying to maximize cap space heading into next season, but also are trying to recoup draft capital for players on expiring contracts. No fan within Leafs Nation should have expected them to pull off a hockey trade. It was always going to be a cap dump for draft picks like we’ve seen them do, or a massive trade for someone like Robert Thomas. It makes a lot more sense for them to sell assets for picks and then look at how they can retool this roster in the offseason, rather than trying to fix it at the deadline.
Brad Treliving did have the right approach in selling their UFA’s. Unfortunately, he seemed to have to budge on his asking price. He was able to get a first and a fifth for Roy, a second and a fourth for McMann. However, he was only able to get a conditional third-round pick which slides to a second if the Kings make the playoffs. While that is a decent return, it is significantly less than what he paid for Laughton just a season ago, which was Nikita Grebenkin and a conditional 2027 first-round pick. It would have been a better return if he could have gotten a player like Alex Turcotte or even a mid-tier prospect as well as the conditional pick. Regardless, he was able to sell an expiring asset which should set them up well in the draft. The only hope now is that the Kings can play well enough to get into the playoffs.
Kings Acquire Reliable Depth Center
Trade Grade: B-
As for the Kings, they are in a tough spot. They sit three points out of the final wild card spot and have made some big changes to their organization over the past month. It started with the acquisition of Artemi Panarin before the Winter Olympic roster freeze and then when they returned they fired head coach Jim Hiller and hired D.J. Smith. They also dealt Warren Foegele and Corey Perry, just to add Laughton as a third or fourth center depending on where they slot him in.
Related: Grading the Maple Leafs & Kraken’s Bobby McMann Trade
From the Kings’ perspective, the cost for Laughton is minimal. They are giving up a third-round pick, at most a second, for a player that brings a great locker room presence and a terrific leader on and off the ice. It’s a good pickup for a team that needs more defensive help, especially with an aging Anze Kopitar playing in his final season.
Overall, it’s a good deal for the Kings, and a deal that looks awful for Treliving and the Maple Leafs after just acquiring him one season ago.
