Scott Laughton, Maple Leafs pending UFA on the trade block, evaluating deadline return
Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
With Scott Laughton in trade talks recently, the Maple Leafs need to compare his current value to the potential return he could bring if he was traded elsewhere and with his price becoming more expensive by the day, Toronto has to make a decision now.
Coming in last season to help with the playoff push, Scott Laughton has performed admirably for the Maple Leafs even though it has been far from perfect. Injuries caused him to miss a month of the 2025-26 season, but he's still managed to put up some decent offence while also giving Toronto a more stable penalty kill.
But as Toronto looks to retool, they are going to have to decide whether it's worth keeping Laughton or not. A pending free agent, he could bring back a solid haul especially with salary retention and there's always the chance he re-signs in the summer.
As the days go by, that decision becomes harder and harder -- with a new report shedding light on the urgency.
Laughton's extension could be too expensive for Toronto
According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs could look to deal Laughton to contenders as a cheap and versatile bottom-six option with a very cheap deal, and it might be the best option considering Laughton's extension is going to be pricey:
I think some of this will depend on where the offers end up, but look at what Scott Laughton is. When he was traded, ironically, by the Philadelphia Flyers to Toronto, they kept half of his salary at that point in time.
So the Leafs are in a situation now where they're able to retain further salary potential in a trade, and so you'd be getting a fourth line centerman who could maybe play a little bit up the lineup, we haven't seen that a lot in Toronto.
And at a bargain basement price. I think that's really important for teams ahead of this deadline.
So the Leafs are in a situation now where they're able to retain further salary potential in a trade, and so you'd be getting a fourth line centerman who could maybe play a little bit up the lineup, we haven't seen that a lot in Toronto.
And at a bargain basement price. I think that's really important for teams ahead of this deadline.
But then Johnston quickly turned his attention to Laughton's potential extension and reported that his price is way too high right now for the Maple Leafs but the summer could bring different news:
At this point, it does seem as though his desires, in terms of the next contract, exceed what Toronto's willing to pay. But we're still in that point where one phone call, one conversation, one change of stance can change the direction of things.
There's no current indication as to what his next deal might be, but at his current $1.5-million deal -- it's assuredly going up. If Toronto were to retain further on that, we could see Laughton dealt for an under $1-million cap. That's genuinely wild for a veteran like him.
Toronto should trade Laughton now and re-sign him in the summer
That would also drive his price up, and at this point Toronto needs to do whatever they can to maximize value of their return. Eating a few hundred thousand dollars off Laughton's deal to bring in better picks is almost a no-brainer.
As with fellow teammate Bobby McMann, Laughton could easily re-sign with the Maple Leafs for a deal similar to the one he signed in Philadelphia ($3-million AAV) though if Toronto is also bringing back McMann and trying to improve in other areas, that's way too expensive.
He's not as offensively anemic as David Kampf, but the Maple Leafs need to avoid committing a lot to a fourth-liner like they have in the past and can't have another contract fiasco to deal with mid-season.
Laughton won't bring back the same package used to acquire him in Toronto, as it's hard to see a team trading a first-round pick on top of a prospect to get it done, but with retention they could get a second or third-round with a mid-level prospect.
In his 63 games with Toronto, Laughton has posted 16 points (10 goals, 6 assists) which is a big drop-off from his time in Philadelphia where he averaged nearly 23 points including career-high 43 points in 2022-23.
Getting something for him now, then finding a way to bring him back when there's a wealth of cap available this summer is a chance for Toronto to have their cake and eat it too.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Toronto Maple Leafs Weigh Bobby McMann Extension At $5M As Term And Cap Concerns Stall Talks
Toronto Maple Leafs Weigh Bobby McMann Extension At $5M As Term And Cap Concerns Stall Talks
| POLL | ||
MARS 3|601 ANSWERS Scott Laughton, Maple Leafs pending UFA on the trade block, evaluating deadline return Do you think Toronto needs to keep or trade Scott Laughton? | ||
| Keep | 280 | 46.6 % |
| Trade | 321 | 53.4 % |
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