"The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a tough position as their season crumbles into nothing. They're most likely going to miss the playoffs but not be bad enough to finish in the bottom five of the NHL and get their first-round draft pick back from the Boston Bruins. So, they might just look to make small changes and see which free agents to keep and which to trade away before the March 6 trade deadline."
"The 31-year-old forward has been one of the most consistent players this season and it is somewhat surprising after his underperformance last season after being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers at the deadline. Laughton has just 10 points in 35 games for the Leafs but it's what he brings on and off the ice and how he rounds out the entire lineup that has made him so valuable. But, the Leafs have a decision to make."
Toronto Maple Leafs face a likely missed playoffs while avoiding a bottom-five finish that would return their first-round pick to Boston. Management may pursue small roster changes and evaluate pending free agents ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. Scott Laughton, 31, has been a consistent, versatile contributor with 10 points in 35 games and provides value beyond scoring. The Leafs must choose between recovering assets from last season's trade or re-signing Laughton to a new contract. Laughton is open to a long-term stay. The Olympics roster freeze (Feb 4–22) compresses the negotiation timeline.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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