With two prominent trade targets coming off the board within minutes of each other, the Philadelphia Flyers have found themselves in an advantageous position with Scott Laughton.
This year’s trade deadline isn’t as exciting as the previous ones and that sort of has to do with the rental pieces available. Nevertheless, that helps the Flyers if they are serious about moving on from players like Laughton.
The veteran forward has always been held in high regard league wide and his market has been intensifying leading up to the trade deadline set for the 7th of March.
However with Trent Frederic being moved to Edmonton in a three-team trade and Jake Evans signing an extension with Montréal, that leaves Laughton as the primary target for a myriad of contending teams.
One team to really keep an eye on is the Toronto Maple Leafs because they might be forced into making a move involving their top assets. They’ve struggled for close to a decade for any kind of postseason success but this year could provide them a better route considering how wide open the Eastern Conference is at the moment.
With former Flyers fan favorite and head coach Craig Berube at the helm, they’ve played a better brand of hockey and have been jockeying for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, which would be their first division crown since 1999-00 – if you don’t count the realigned North Division crown they won during the COVID-shortened season in 2020-21.
The Florida Panthers just acquired Seth Jones and now have additional cap space to work with after Matthew Tkachuk was placed on LTIR. The Tampa Bay Lightning have also reentered the conversation after a scintillating run in recent weeks to put pressure on both the Leafs and Panthers.
The Leafs have long had interest in Laughton but have been reluctant to make the move with the Flyers asking price being as high as it is. Daniel Brière is waiting out for a top prospect or a first round pick and with Elliotte Friedman all but confirming that they’ve accepted the notion that any move hereon out will cost them some combination of their assets, perhaps they will bend to the Flyers will.
It still seems like the Flyers are apprehensive on making a move. The organization has nothing but the highest of regards for the 12-year veteran and it has been reported that he does not want a move but at the end of the day, the Flyers need to do what is best for the future.
Frederic going for a second-round pick and Evans staying put in Montréal strengthens the Flyers’ claims for a first round pick. If salary is retained, which is something the Maple Leafs are always looking for, it could cost an additional piece which would come in the form of a prospect like Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan.
Toronto’s been reluctant but if the deal makes sense for them this year and beyond, considering Laughton’s still under contract, it’s something they could be forced into making.
Toronto isn’t the only team that would be involved either as Detroit, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ottawa, and Winnipeg have all been reportedly poking around. Not to mention the Red Wings, Wild, and Devils all are in need of a centre after injuries to Andrew Copp, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jack Hughes, respectively.
While the asking price of a first-round pick and a prospect sounds very high and maybe even unlikely, the Flyers have leverage on two fronts: 1) he’s under contract next season so they can hold onto him without losing out, and 2) with targets dwindling by the day, Laughton becomes one of the more prominent names remaining on the block.
If the Flyers manage to come out of this situation with both a pick and a prospect then Brière worked a masterclass. Even if he comes out with just a pick or a prospect, it should be seen as a win, especially if it’s a Cowan or a Minten.
For the first time in a while, Philadelphia is in an advantageous position and they should not only relish in that fact but look to be aggressive and acquire pieces that will assuredly help their rebuilding plans even if it comes at the cost of a locker room leader and a well respected teammate.
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