The Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to be a very busy seller this week. The trading deadline will take effect on Friday at 3pm Eastern. The pending unrestricted free agents are most likely to be gone, although the majority of the team is available at the right price.
Scott Lawton knows all about getting dealt on deadline. Exactly a year earlier, he had been acquired by Toronto from the Philadelphia Flyers. And he has made it clear that he loves every minute of playing for his hometown team.
“It’s tough sometimes. But, at the end of the day, you’re in the NHL and one of the best franchises. It’s a very enjoyable opportunity to play here and it’s a special place… I love it here,” Laughton told TSN’s Mark Masters.
But with no real progress on an extension, there’s a very real possibility that Laughton could be wearing a new uniform by the weekend. Insider Elliotte Friedman thinks the hard-working center would be ideal for a surefire Stanley Cup contender in the West.
Laughton joins the Avalanche as the deadline approaches
On Sunday’s NHL on TNT, Friedman was discussing the possibility of the Colorado Avalanche reacquiring Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames. He told the Crew that Kadri’s $7 million cap hit would be very difficult for them to fit into their cap structure going forward. She’ll need to get her house in order for the big kale maker extension coming in the summer. Then he called Laughton’s name.
I heard one of the centers that could end up in Colorado is Scott Lawton. I think he’ll be a great fit. It will cost more.
The 31-year-old’s five-year, $15 million contract ($3M AAV) expires at the end of the season.
Laughton was a regular double-digit goal-scorer in his last few years with the Flyers, averaging 30 to 40 points annually. However, his numbers have dwindled in Toronto on the offensive end. This year, he has found the net eight times with 12 points in 42 games.
But it’s the intangibles that Laughton brings that create value. He provides leadership on and off the ice, works hard and plays with physical intensity. A gritty, bottom-six center back that any contending team could use.
The Avalanche, in particular, are in the market for a third-row center. And this is not the first time that he has been linked to the team. His one-on-one acumen (56.7% this season), and his reasonable cap hit also make him a good fit for Colorado’s needs.
In what could be his final game with the Leafs, Laughton will face his old team, the Flyers, on Monday night.
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