The Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets are the two teams believed to be bidding on Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton. However, according to Anthony Di Marco from the DailyFaceoff.com, the Leafs appear to be the frontrunners.
This is not the first time the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown interest in Laughton, so seeing them in the mix is not a surprise. Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has stated that he would prefer to acquire players with term left on their contract over pending free agents as a rental. Laughton is signed for one more year next season.
The Leafs are actively looking for any kind of NHL centre because they are incredibly thin after John Tavares. Laughton is a slightly above average player who would definitely give the Leafs an upgrade, though the cost to acquire him must be weighed against the cost of getting a larger upgrade. Laughton has a friendly cap hit of $3 million this year and next. (Salary cap information from puckpedia.com)
Laughton has 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 54 games. He is a local guy from Oakville, Ontario. At 6'1, 190 Lbs, he's not overly big, but he does throw his weight around. He has 113 hits right now and has finished with 140 or more hits in each of the last four seasons. Laughton as the Leafs third-line center would be a welcomed addition to the Leafs bottom six, which is in desperate need of some offense. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)
Will the Toronto Maple Leafs Meet Flyers Asking Price?
The Flyers asking price for Laughton is believed to start with a first-round pick. Now, the Leafs don't own a first-round in the 2025 NHL entry draft, but they have one in 2026. Are two year's of playoffs worth a first round pick for a slightly above average centre who is 30 years old and likely to be declining if he isn't already?
Considering other recent trades, like for instance Mikhail Granlund being traded to Dallas for a first, I would say Scott Laughton is worth the price of one mid-round first. However, the Leafs have limited assets, and their need for a centre has to be measured against their need for an upgrade that is a lot bigger than Scott Laughton.
Scott Laughton would be a great upgrade, but if he is the Leafs biggest upgrade then their deadline will once again be a failure.
Things will continue to intensify between now and the NHL trade deadline on March 7th. The Leafs and Jets could find themselves in a bidding war for Laughton, but if the price goes much beyond a first-round pick, the Leafs should walk away.
If Treliving and the Leafs are going to go all-in, then there are better players available than Laughton. The Leafs also shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket either. Adding bottom-six depth, preferably a center seems to be at the top of Treliving's list, but adding a star defenseman should be the top priority.