Kings’ Laughton’s Former Maple Leafs Teammates Would Love Him Back In Free Agency

Veteran center Scott Laughton has only been a member of the Los Angeles Kings for 14 games, yet his former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates already miss his presence.

Saturday marks Laughton’s first game against the Maple Leafs since joining the Kings at this year’s NHL trade deadline.

Advertisement

He was only a Maple Leaf for 76 regular-season and playoff games after joining Toronto at last season’s trade deadline. However, his former teammates like the idea of Laughton returning to Toronto in free agency, as he is a pending UFA.

After the Maple Leafs’  practice on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s game, Toronto’s Steve Lorentz was asked about the possibility of Laughton returning in free agency.

“Yeah, that’d be awesome!” Lorentz told reporters. “We would welcome him back with open arms. I know there’s a lot of guys in this locker room that feel the same way.”

The Kings acquired Laughton from the Maple Leafs as a pending UFA. He is in the fifth and final year of his contract, earning $1.5 million against Los Angeles’ salary cap.

Advertisement

Therefore, unless Kings GM Ken Holland pushes to sign Laughton to a contract extension between now and July 1, the Oakville, Ont., native could leave for free in the summer.

Why Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland Had An Underrated NHL Trade Deadline

Why Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland Had An Underrated NHL Trade Deadline While it wasn’t a loud deadline, GM Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings made some sensible moves that make the team better for the playoff push and the future.

Leafs coach Craig Berube was asked if he could see a world where a Laughton return to Toronto would be a fit.

“Yeah, I could see it, for sure,” Toronto’s bench boss told reporters. “He really liked it in Toronto, and he’s from around there, too. I think that was a… dream for him to go back home and play.”

Advertisement

Along with fantasizing about potentially reuniting with their old teammate, they shared how much of a great teammate he was and how lucky the Kings are to have him.

“I think you win with a guy like Scott,” Lorentz said of Laughton. “He’s a glue guy, he plays the game the right way, he plays hard, and he’s definitely got the skill offensively and defensively to be out there in all situations.”

Scott Laughton Reflects On Maple Leafs Tenure, ‘A Little Bit’ Surprised In Club’s Lack Of Immediate Response To Auston Matthews Hit

Scott Laughton Reflects On Maple Leafs Tenure, ‘A Little Bit’ Surprised In Club’s Lack Of Immediate Response To Auston Matthews Hit In a 1-on-1 conversation with The Hockey News on Sunday, Scott Laughton reflects on his trade to the Los Angeles Kings, his former team’s lack of response to the hit on their captain, the pressure of playing in Toronto and the possibility of re-joining the Leafs down the road.

Advertisement

Laughton is indeed a player that can be utilized in all situations, and that’s exactly how Los Angeles has been using him.

Since his Kings debut against the Montreal Canadiens on March 7, Laughton is the joint leader on the team in shorthanded time on ice per game, along with defensemen Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson and Cody Ceci.

He’s also on Los Angeles’ second power-play unit and averages 1:12 of ice time per game on the man advantage.

Furthermore, he’s been so important for the Kings in the faceoff dot, to the point where he takes the opening draw in overtime to win possession in the extra frame. He has a faceoff win rate of 58.1 percent as a member of the Kings.

Advertisement

With all he brings on the ice and in the dressing room, it’s no wonder why his former Maple Leafs teammates have raved about him so much since his departure.

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.