The Toronto Maple Leafs had a more active deadline than anyone expected them to, coming out with two of the bigger names on the trade market in Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo. The Leafs had been connected to Laughton quite a bit in the months leading up to the deadline, so that move wasn’t a huge surprise. Carlo, on the other hand, came in a buzzer beater of a deal that nobody saw coming.
In hindsight, it’s a really good thing that they made that deal, and it’s an even better thing that Carlo has been excellent since joining the Maple Leafs, because it’s been tough sledding for Laughton in Toronto so far. He doesn’t have a point in seven games with the team and carries a minus-3 rating, playing all around the lineup and having a hard time finding a consistent role in the lineup. He debuted for the team as their third-line centre, and has since been bumped down to the fourth line.
First and foremost, it’s understandable to not be feeling great about the early returns on Laughton given what they gave up for him. He cost a first-round pick and a fan favourite of a prospect in Nikita Grebenkin, although the premium was paid to ensure they got him at a retained price tag and received some draft picks for their troubles, as well. Still, though, considering the seller’s market that was, it was already a steep price to pay for a guy who had only eclipsed the 40-point mark once in his career. Factor in the struggles early on, and on paper, it feels like a disaster of a trade waiting to unfold.
Here’s the reality, though. It isn’t. And it’s been seven games.
If you’re concerned about the Leafs getting rinsed in that trade with the Flyers, consider the fact that Laughton had been with the Flyers organization for 13 years heading into that trade. He’s been a member of John Tortorella’s system in Philadelphia and had been getting top-six minutes at times, emerging as a leader for a team that’s had an influx of younger players enter the league in recent years. Then, out of nowhere, he had to pack up his bags and switch teams in the middle of a gruelling road trip, learn a new system, and find immediate chemistry with a bunch of new faces.
This kind of move doesn’t affect all players the same way – you see that firsthand with Brandon Carlo. But the ups and downs can happen at different times depending on the player, and if you’re Laughton, you’d hope that the downs get out of the way early on while you’re still getting accustomed to things.
There was some panic (and criticism) online within the fanbase regarding Laughton’s usage under Craig Berube after he was demoted to the fourth line, but you’re not seeing a player getting punished for not immediately hitting the ground running. You’re seeing somebody struggling with simplifying their game put into low-pressure minutes so they can focus on straight-line hockey instead of getting exposed when their mental game isn’t where it should be.
If you asked me, I’d be shocked to see Laughton not making some sort of an impact by the time the playoffs roll around in mid-April. If the Leafs keep their second line 0f Bobby McMann, John Tavares, and William Nylander intact (the unit had seven points on Thursday night against the New York Rangers), and decide they want to keep the Max Domi/Nick Robertson duo intact, Laughton seems like an optimal choice to slide into that 3LW spot and provide the bite and occasional goal-scoring ability left behind by McMann.
If Laughton ghosts in the playoffs and still seems to be a misfit in the system next season, it will be fair to raise alarm bells and discuss it as a problem. But, asking price and early results aside, seven games into his tenure with a brand new thing is too early to consider this a real problem, at least for now.
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