Kuzmenko Non-Committal, Laughton Open To Sign Extension With Kings

Los Angeles Kings forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Scott Laughton are both due for new contracts this summer as pending UFAs.

On Wednesday, the duo spoke with the media at the end-of-season press conference and were asked about their intentions and future with the Kings organization.

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Both Kuzmenko and Laughton gave different answers in terms of their interest in signing a contract extension with Los Angeles, one more encouraging than the other.

Laughton, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline by Kings GM Ken Holland, has spent less than a couple of months in Los Angeles. However, based on his comments, he seems to be interested in extending his tenure with the Kings organization.

“The interest level is high for me, for sure,” Laughton told reporters. “The opportunity I was given here, the guys here, the staff, the way I was treated, my family came down and absolutely loved it… so yeah, the interest level is high.”

Laughton featured in 21 games for the Kings this year in the regular season. He put up five goals and eight points while averaging 15:46 of ice time in Los Angeles, which is more than two minutes compared to his stint with the Maple Leafs this season.

The Burden of the Crown LOS ANGELES, CA — The door has closed on the Los Angeles Kings. Anze Kopitar, the King of Kings, the man who surpassed Marcel Dionne in his final season to become the franchise’s all-time points leader, played his last NHL game in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. Whatever you want to call the last several years of Kings hockey, a retool, a transition, a slow-moving rebuild dressed up in playoff appearance clothing, it ended on the ice vs Colorado. There hasn’t been a sexy transition to a new hockey model that has found success in LA.

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The veteran center added that “the culture and the players in place” give him a real reason to stay, too.

Furthermore, earlier this week, David Pagnotta believes that the Kings will take a chance at keeping Laughton. The NHL insider also shared that clarity on who the next head coach will be for Los Angeles is a big part of that potential agreement.

Kings coach D.J. Smith utilized Laughton well, but he was just an interim bench boss for the dismissal of Jim Hiller. The expectation is that Holland will provide an update on whether Smith is staying on board or if the organization will look for a different candidate.

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At any rate, the interest is there for Laughton to stay, as he puts it. The 31-year-old just wrapped up a five-year contract that carried a $3-million salary cap hit.

Kings’ Pending RFA Brandt Clarke Explains Why He Hasn’t Signed a New Contract Yet Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke has yet to sign a contract extension, despite being a pending RFA. In Wednesday’s end-of-season presser, the 23-year-old explains why negotiations have played out the way it has and his intentions with his future.

As for Kuzmenko, the message was slightly different. The 30-year-old was a lot more uncertain and non-committal in his response.

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“We’ll see,” is what Kuzmenko said to the media in the players’ exit interviews on Wednesday.

The Russian left winger completed the regular season with 13 goals and 25 points in 52 appearances. He inked a one-year deal with the Kings last summer, at a $4.3-million cap hit.

If Kuzmenko does move on from the Kings to another NHL club, it’ll be the fifth team he’s suited up for in the past three years.

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