One of the most painful trade deadline casualties for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season was Scott Laughton. The 31-year-old got off to a rough start this year amid injuries and inconsistency. But it seemed like he had turned things around in the second half of the season.
But the fact that he is an impending UFA at the end of this season put a gigantic bull’s eye on his back. He had to be traded unless the club planned on re-signing him.
Maple Leafs should bring back Scott Laughton in free agency
As Luke Fox of Sportsnet noted, Laughton did want to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. However, former GM Brad Treliving was under pressure to recoup assets this trade deadline.
So, Treliving sold low on Laughton, sending the veteran forward to the LA Kings for a third-rounder. By the looks of things, the pick will remain a third-rounder as the condition for the pick to convert to a second is that the Kings make the postseason.
Be that as it may, the Maple Leafs cannot afford not to bring Laughton back this summer. We’re assuming that he’ll hit the market, and if he does, the Maple Leafs would do well to come calling.
After all, everyone loved Laughton in Toronto. Most importantly, he loved Toronto. It was a symbiotic relationship that was interrupted by the business side of the NHL.
Maple Leafs teammates loved having Laughton on the roster
Craig Berube lit off some lightbulbs when he gushed about Laughton in a recent media op. Here's what Berube said about Laughton, as quoted by Fox:
“I could see it, for sure,” Berube declared. “He really liked it in Toronto. And he’s from around there, too. So I think that was a bit of a dream for him to go back home and play. Yeah, I could see him going back there, for sure.”
When confronted with the possibility of Laughton returning, former linemate Steven Lorentz jumped at the idea.
“That’d be awesome. We would welcome him back with open arms. I know there’s a lot of guys in this locker room who feel the same way.”
Even Laughton himself is fired up about the idea of returning to Toronto.
“I have family close. And the staff, you get treated first class here. Original Six team. It’s special every time you go on the ice. You get chills every time going out, thinking about this team you grew up watching. And I’ve said this before, but I’ve fallen in love with the guys here. We have a great group of guys who really care and want to be at their best.”
The comments, notwithstanding, came before the trade deadline. Perhaps those sentiments have changed, especially after the heated exchange between Laughton and Matthew Knies last Saturday night, when the Kings topped the Leafs 7-6 in overtime.
Assuming that Laughton is gung-ho about returning to Toronto, would such a reunion be possible?
There is no reason why it couldn’t happen. The Maple Leafs have a clear need for depth down the middle. The departures of Laughton and Nic Roy, plus the loss of Auston Matthews to injury, gutted the Leafs’ center depth.
Additionally, the Leafs should have some cap space to play with in the summer. So, bringing back Laughton on, say, a three-year deal worth around $4 million AAV wouldn’t be the craziest idea in the world.
Signing Laughton as a UFA won’t erase the mistake Treliving made by sending a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin at last year’s trade deadline. But at least getting Laughton back would be a major step in a retool that might yield a return to the postseason.
Given some of the chatter surrounding the Maple Leafs at this point in the season, bringing back Laughton is hardly the wildest idea.