The Real Reason the Maple Leafs Chose Scott Laughton Traces Back Over a Decade
Scott Laughton is now a Maple Leaf and while the hometown boy is excited, there seems to be a long-standing connection with Toronto's current bench boss.
The NHL Trade Deadline was a pretty good one for the Maple Leafs, as they added some much needed pieces by acquiring both Brandon Carlo from Boston (though had to let go of Fraser Minten) and also were able to get their hands on Scott Laughton.
It's Laughton though that was a huge addition to a team that needed a true 3C who can play hard, play defense, add some offense, but mainly offer a better balance in the Top-9.
It was clear he's been on their radar for some time, and if it wasn't for his skillset alone, he might have had some help due to his previous past with current Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube.
Scott Laughton's History With Craig Berube Only Means Good Things
Way back a decade ago, Craig Berube coached a rookie Laughton during their time with the Flyers, and while Berube didn't stick around too much, it was clear he already had trust in his young pivot.
Now 30 years old, Laughton has developed into a reliable two-way center who can bring some serious offense at times, but is more lauded for his defense and heart.
It's something that endeared him to Berube the first time around and will no doubt be a benefit going forward. Look for the Leafs head coach to use a lot of Laughton given he knows what he brings, and how well he fits in with the system.
This season, Laughton has 27 points in 60 games (11G, 16A) and while it doesn't seem that impressive, compared to the rest of the Maple Leafs forwards; he ranks pretty high up on the roster tying Bobby McMann.
It's presumed that he will play on the team's third line a alongside Max Domi and McMann, however could slide into the Top-6 on the wing with John Tavares and William Nylander, especially when the team needs some added defense up front.
Laughton is also a very cheap option with Toronto able to get 50% retention on his deal, and his $1.5M cap hit won't be too much of a concern especially given the rising cap.
We will get to see how Laughton plays out with the Maple Leafs as they take on the Avalanche on Saturday night as the team debuts their brand new lineup against a revamped Colorado squad.
