Some days ago, it was suggested that the Toronto Maple Leafs could trade for Flyers Centre Scott Laughton.
The idea, originally proposed by James Mirtle in The Athletic, had the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring the winger/centre to play in a third-line role.
The idea seemed to fizzle out as the Flyers didn’t seem too keen on moving Laughton.
But that was before John Tavares went down with a week-to-week injury. Unfortunately, Tavares’ injury left a hole in the Leafs lineup. To the team’s credit, they have played well without Tavares. But with depth already thin down the middle, Tavares’ absence made the situation even worse.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade for This Flyers Centre
So, adding a player like Scott Laughton could give the Leafs another solid option up front. But there is a caveat - he's not a star, and he's not going to help a ton with depth scoring.
Laughton provides slightly above average offense, and slightly above average defense. He's a valuable player, but he's not going to make a huge impact. That said, he's miles ahead of what the Leafs have for options right now. Even with a healthy lineup, Laughton is a massive upgrade on Domi at 3C if for no other reason than the Leafs can then give Domi's offensize zone faceoffs to their star players.
Now, I know what most fans are thinking. Scott Laughton isn’t the big-name centre that the Leafs need to make a strong postseason run. While many fans are expecting Brad Treliving to try and make a splash, the fact is that the Leafs may want to play it cautiously.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be exercising caution for a simple reason: Other teams know the Leafs are looking to upgrade. They are down a top centre, and will be looking to do anything to add depth.
It’s not that the Leafs are desperate, but they are eager to get something done. That situation means that other teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, will be looking to fleece the Leafs. The asking price for players like Scott Laughton will be naturally higher as other teams will be looking to take advantage of the Leafs’ need for centre depth.
Does that mean that Treliving sucks it up and pays for it?
Unless he’s Treliving is getting Nathan MacKinnon or Connor McDavid, there’s no sense in spending precious prospect capital to get a middle-of-the-pack player.
Rumors are that the Flyers want at least a first-round pick for Laughton. If that’s the case, the Leafs had better pass. There’s no sense in paying through the nose for a player who isn’t the perfect fit.
Ultimately, the Leafs will find it challenging to add depth without it costing the team an arm and a leg. Patience will be needed to avoid making a dumb, costly move.