The Toronto Maple Leafs made a bold move to acquire Scott Laughton at the trade deadline last season, but he struggled after the move.
Toronto paid a hefty price to acquire Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, giving up a first-round pick and prospect Nikita Grebenkin. However, with the Maple Leafs, Laughton recorded 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in 20 regular-season games. His playoffs were even worse, as Laughton had 0 goals and 3 assists for 3 points in 13 games.
It was a disappointing season for Laughton, who knows he has to be better.
“I wasn’t good enough last year. That’s the bottom line,” Laughton said to Sportsnet. “It was hard. The hardest part was, for sure, leaving Philly. You grew up there, and we had our kid there, and everything like that. You build something there, and I think you’re so ingrained in being a Flyer. So, to come here was a different feeling.”
Laughton says the change of scenery was tough, and he didn’t feel like himself in Toronto. He was trying too hard to make an impact and also felt like he couldn’t speak up in the locker room.
“Your play has got to speak for itself. It was tough for me at the start, when I was trying to find my footing,” Laughton said. “I was in a little bit of a shell and just a little bit stuck.”
Laughton Isn’t Focusing on Looming Free Agency
With Laughton now having a full training camp under his belt, he expects to be much better this season for the Maple Leafs.
Laughton is entering the final year of his five-year, $15 million deal with the Maple Leafs. Although he is a pending free agent, he says he isn’t thinking about that.
“I actually haven’t thought about it,” Laughton said. “You gotta be good and play to your potential. And whatever happens, happens. I’ve never hit free agency, so I don’t even know the feeling. So, I haven’t even thought that far ahead. I just want to have a good start for our group and contribute where I can.”
If Laughton can have a better season, he should be highly sought after as a solid middle-six center who can add some scoring.
But Laughton’s focus is on the season and helping the Maple Leafs win games.
Maple Leafs Coach Was Pleased With Laughton
Although Laughton felt like he played poorly last season, his coach disagrees.
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said it took time for Laughton to get comfortable with the team. But, once he did, the coach felt like Laughton did a good job.
“It took him a bit to get comfortable with the situation,” Berube said on the Nasty Knuckles Podcast. “That is always normal with trades for a lot of players. So once he got comfortable, then he got some chemistry with some players, and then got his role down a bit, he was really good for us…
“Laughts is a good guy in the locker room and a character guy,” Berube added. “That checking line, the gamesmanship he plays with, penalty killing and stuff like that. So I thought they were really good for us. He was really good for us and I thought they did a good job.”
Laughton and the Maple Leafs open their season on Oct. 8 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton Drops Truth Bomb on Disappointing Season