While some big trades at the NHL trade deadline had immediately positive results, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers isn’t one of them.
Laughton has yet to produce a point in six games as a Leaf, and his role diminished on Wednesday as Max Domi improved his play. Leafs coach Craig Berube cut Laughton’s minutes on Wednesday night against Colorado. Laughton played just 11:13 – his lowest time-on-ice total since Dec. 8.
Laughton's current woes must be humbling as someone who averaged more than 15 minutes of ice time as a Flyer before being traded to the Leafs. But not every trade will be an immediate success, and what matters most is how Laughton handles the transition to a new club and what he does by the playoffs.
“I think he’s trying to probably play the game without making mistakes, and he’s overthinking things instead of just playing,” Berube said of Laughton. “Just play. Be aggressive, do your thing, and that will come around. I do believe that. He wants to do well. He’s just got to loosen up and go play. Use your ability. You’re a good player. You’ve played in the league a long time. Just go play. I think he’s holding back a little bit. Just too safe, almost.”
When you don’t have any offense to point to, and when the Leafs are only 3-3 since the trade deadline, it’s easy to grow frustrated.
Laughton’s under a huge microscope in Toronto, where every shift is hyper-analyzed, and Leafs fans constantly compare him to the best the Buds have had to offer.
But if Laughton can shut out the naysayers, he will work out of this funk and show everyone why Toronto GM Brad Treliving gave up a first-round pick and decent prospect in Nikita Grebenkin for his services.
Woll Or Stolarz: Who Should Be In Net For The Maple Leafs In The Playoffs? The Toronto Maple Leafs do not know who they will be playing if the playoffs were to start today. But regardless of the opponent, it appears they might finally have settled on a starting goalie for Game 1.
The Maple Leafs don’t need Laughton to do all the heavy lifting. They have Auston Matthews and John Tavares doing that by centering the top two lines. He just has to settle in – either at center on the third line or on the wing – and read the game.
Toronto beat the Calgary Flames and the Avalanche to regain second place in the Atlantic Division. That will set up the Leafs for a better position in the playoffs, where Laughton’s game best suits the team.
Scoring isn’t his specialty, as his career highs are 18 goals and 43 points. He had 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games for the Flyers before the trade. But his two-way play, penalty-killing, physicality, flexibility between center and left wing and his hockey IQ are what the Leafs need in their bottom six. Since the trade deadline, he ranks second among Leafs forwards in blocked shots, with six, and he has 14 hits.
It’s a matter of time before Laughton fully acclimates to his home team.
“He’s from here, and he’s got a lot going on and people and everything else. You want to please, right,” Berube said. “You’ve got to forget about pleasing and play and do your thing. You’re a good player. That’s why you’re in the National Hockey League for a long time.”
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