VOORHEES, N.J. – When all is said and done, Scott Laughton will be remembered by former Flyers teammates as a heart-and-soul presence both on and off the ice.
At Friday’s NHL trade deadline, Laughton was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft (top-10 protected) and rookie Nikita Grebenkin.
Laughton has two years at $3 million remaining on his contract. Reportedly, the Flyers will pick up half of that tab.
In the hours leading up to the transaction, Philadelphia veterans such as Travis Sanheim and Sean Couturier couldn’t say enough good things about the popular leader.
“Obviously a big part of our team,” Sanheim said after practice (but just before the trade) at the Flyers Training Center. “Both on and off the ice; how his game has developed over the years. Responsible guy that we rely on in a lot of different situations.”
Prior to the Laughton swap, the Flyers sent forward Andrei Kuzmenko, acquired in the Morgan Frost-Joel Farabee trade with Calgary last month, to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Laughton was a selected in the first round (20th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Couturier spoke with a bit of emotion in his voice as he disclosed his feelings about Laughton.
“I think he was honestly our ‘glue’ guy for a number of years,” Couturier said. “He’s just a great locker room guy, on and off the ice. Always shows up for games, gives his heart and soul for the team.
“I think he’s been involved with Philly, the community. He and his family have given a number of hours to different foundations for sick kids in hospitals. He’s just a great person. Definitely a guy you want in your locker room, that’s for sure.”
Coach John Tortorella said before the trade was official that Laughton will be missed because of their friendship.
“He’s a very good friend,” Tortorella said. “Like I told him this morning, no matter what happens here today – if you’re still with us or you’re not – our relationship is always going to be our relationship. That will never go away. When you are done coaching or playing, those are the most important things.”
Losing Laughton and Kuzmenko will make it even tougher for the Flyers to climb back into a playoff spot. They’re 14th in the Eastern Conference (only eight teams make the postseason) and there only 19 games left to play.
Sanheim agrees with Couturier that Laughton leaves behind quite a legacy.
“Probably the most vocal leader on our team,” Sanheim said. “He does a lot of talking. It could be something funny, it could be something serious in the intermissions. Just does a lot of things, really good pro. Been fortunate enough to play with him all eight years. Just built a really great relationship with him.”
Like Couturier, Sanheim was impressed by Laughton’s work with the community off the ice.
“When you’re here with an organization that long, this place means a lot to him,” Sanheim said. “As it does to a lot of us that have been here. He enjoys giving back. He’s got a really big heart. Just shows what he’s able to do giving back in a lot of different areas. Just the type of person and teammate he is.”
Grebenkin, 21, was a fifth-round pick (135th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Serov, Russia native has played seven games with the Maple Leafs.
