C/LW Scott Laughton
Finally, some may find it surprising to find one of their key deadline moves in this category, but there is indeed an unnerving possibility that Scott Laughton could be on the bubble in making the Leafs playoff roster.
When Toronto initially acquired Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, many had expected him to slot in seamlessly and effectively as the team’s third-line center.
For one, he should be able to provide consistent strong defensive play at both even strength and on the penalty kill. In addition, he should be able to add some much-needed secondary scoring as well after registering double-digits in goals in seven of his last eight seasons in the NHL.
However, Laughton has been quite the disappointment since joining Toronto at the trade deadline. He may come somewhat as advertised from the defensive standpoint for the most part, but the offensive boost that many expected have been practically absent as he continues to struggle to find his role on the team.
The Leafs have tried using Laughton on both the third and fourth lines, as well as at center and on the wing to help kickstart the 30-year-old veteran but to no avail.
In total. Laughton has recorded just one goal and one assist for two points in 15 games thus far with Toronto. On top of that, based on 5-on-5 on-ice situations, he has compiled only a 37% CF%, a 36% expected goals rate, as well as just a 36% scoring chances rate while being outscored 9-4 whenever he has been on the ice.
In comparison to a likewise struggling teammate in Calle Jarnkrok, who profiles similarly to Laughton in terms of their offensive and defensive abilities, he has put up similar CF%, expected goals rate and scoring chances rate as Laughton. However, Jarnkrok has managed to stay productive on the scoresheet by recording one goal and four assists in 13 games of action while being outscored only 6-5 in 5-on-5 situations.
Recall that unlike Laughton, who has played over 75 games this season already, Jarnkrok had missed almost three quarters of the regular season. So even for a player that returned just recently last month, he has put up slightly better numbers. Together with the better shot, even the most struggling Leaf in Jarnkrok could now be ahead of Laughton in the pecking order.
As a result, if Laughton doesn’t pick it up in his remaining regular season games this season, it would be a tough pill to swallow, but he could become one of the most surprising scratches on the Leafs roster for the playoffs.