Scott Laughton broke into the NHL as an adolescent again in 2012-13 and has been a daily member of the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup mainly ever since. For the primary time in his 601-game profession, issues appear to be getting dicey concerning his future with the Orange and Black. The 30-year-old ahead is coming off of what was objectively his worst season, and he didn’t enhance a lot in any respect through the 2024-25 preseason.
At present, Laughton’s job is kind of secure. Other than a four-game harm, he has by no means missed a matchup underneath head coach John Tortorella, who’s infamous for healthy-scratching key gamers. However Laughton may not be secure for lengthy. Improved within the expertise division, there’s even much less margin for error than there was in 2023-24. This season is coming into make-or-break territory for the long-tenured veteran.
Laughton’s Disappointing 2023-24 Season
On the floor, Laughton’s earlier marketing campaign in all probability appears advantageous. He had 39 factors in 82 video games, making him one of many higher point-scorers on the Flyers. Positive, he had a minus-9 ranking, however that’s not too dangerous for a staff that missed the playoffs.
Nevertheless, it’s superior metrics that inform the actual story of Laughton. By way of anticipated aim share in comparison with his teammates, he was one of many worst gamers within the NHL. When he was on the ice, the Flyers had been vastly worse than their opponents. At even power, he was outscored 63-45 with a team-worst 43.0 anticipated targets proportion (xGF%) amongst forwards. On a staff that prided itself on constantly outplaying the opposition, Laughton didn’t get the memo.
Placing these metrics into deeper context, Laughton’s wins above substitute (WAR) was among the many worst gamers within the NHL final season in line with JFresh Hockey’s mannequin. It’s a theme throughout all fashions I’ve seen: the 30-year-old was probably the greatest on the earth at making his staff much less efficient.
Lots of commerce hypothesis surrounding Flyers ahead Scott Laughton.
It could… nicely it could definitely be shopping for low. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/oC7VMu26xy
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 16, 2024
Primarily based on his influence, one might argue that Laughton was a significant purpose why the Flyers missed the playoffs by such a slight margin. Whereas they didn’t have any satisfactory replacements, a mean NHLer would have solved loads of issues. Sadly, opposing strains feasted towards him pretty usually.
Resting a couple of video games might need been largely useful to Laughton, however once more, there weren’t many choices. He was sixth in even-strength ice time amongst forwards, magnifying his poor play. A staff on the point of being postseason-bound can solely cope with a key participant anticipated to sacrifice 57 % of targets for therefore lengthy. The Flyers had been pushed by their even-strength analytics, however Laughton undid a few of that excellence and restricted the staff’s upside in consequence.
Luchanko Is a Menace to Laughton
For some time, it felt like Laughton would simply be handed the third-line middle function this season regardless of his on-ice struggles. However with the all-but-confirmed shock that middle Jett Luchanko, the Flyers’ first-round choose in 2024, is making the staff, that’s not the case. Now, there’s competitors.
Associated: Flyers Information & Rumors: Luchanko, Zavragin, Preseason Standouts
Luchanko is prone to be the Flyers’ third-line middle to open the season, which demotes Laughton to the fourth line (or the press field). Projected to be on the backside left-wing spot, he’ll now be competing with Noah Cates and Nicolas Deslauriers for that very same spot, in concept. Cates had a reasonably good 2023-24 marketing campaign, whereas Deslauriers is an enforcer who Tortorella may wish to use on occasion.
There might be competitors all through the lineup, that means that Luchanko himself isn’t even secure. However for the primary time, it appears as if Laughton is on the chopping block. Except he improves, that received’t change.
It’s price noting that Luchanko isn’t a lock to be with Philadelphia for your complete season—that a lot needs to be earned. If he can survive by means of 10 video games, nevertheless, that’ll formally burn a yr off of his entry-level contract and certain imply that he’s on the staff for good. If that does find yourself taking place (removed from a assure, thoughts you), then it may very well be a rocky experience for Laughton.
Why Laughton Is Necessary to the Flyers
If hockey had been purely based mostly on analytics and on-ice efficiency, Laughton would have both been traded or purchased out within the offseason. That’s not how the game works, although.
Laughton is a longtime chief within the Flyers’ locker room and he’s revered across the hockey world. An advocate for the LGBTQ+ group by placing loads of effort and time into the trigger, there’s little doubt that he’s a kind-hearted particular person. Gamers on the staff gravitate towards him for a purpose—they like having him round.
On prime of his off-ice influence, Laughton may simply have had a rotten season. That occurs to everybody, however the perfect of them bounce again straight away. He isn’t a misplaced trigger as a result of one among his quite a few NHL campaigns didn’t go nicely. In 2024-25, count on him to return to his regular self and proceed his tenure with the Orange and Black.
Laughton Wants a Higher 2024-25 Season
Whereas we will count on Laughton to return to type, it’s as much as him for that to occur. He’s a member of a reasonably deep bottom-six that can solely get deeper in 2025-26 as extra prospects graduate to the NHL. With a $3 million cap hit for the following two seasons, he might rapidly fall out of favor in Philadelphia if he can’t carry out.
To try this, he doesn’t want to interrupt any of Wayne Gretzky’s data or something. A comparable on-ice influence to his 2022-23 season, for instance, would suffice. That being stated, returning to that type could be a large improve over what he confirmed beforehand. This sort of bounce-back may very well be what the Orange and Black have to keep away from tying a franchise file in consecutive playoff misses (5).
No participant has earned the advantage of the doubt like Laughton has. He has given the whole lot to the Flyers—for that, he deserves respect. Nonetheless, his efficiency in 2024-25 means the whole lot. Can he return to the participant of previous?
