In order to acquire veteran center Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs had to pay a big price – a first-round draft pick and prospect winger Nikita Grebenkin. Thus, expectations for Laughton were sky-high, and he’d be the first to tell you he didn’t meet those expectations – at least, during the regular season, as he posted only two goals and four points in 20 games.

But something changed for the better in the Stanley Cup playoffs, as Laughton – asked only to play a smart, rugged game by Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube – turned into one of the Leafs’ more reliable players. He still only had two points in 13 post-season games with Toronto, but Laughton blocked shots in crucial moments, took 126 faceoffs (111 at even strength) – less than only veteran star centers Auston Matthews and John Tavares – and had an even-strength faceoff win percentage of 60.36 percent, the best total of any Leaf who had at least 100 faceoffs in the post-season.

In short, Laughton was solid on defense and made life as a Maple Leafs opponent more difficult than it would’ve been if, say, Leafs finesse forward David Kampf – who essentially lost his job as a Maple Leafs regular to Laughton – was still Toronto’s fourth-line center. And as the 2025-26 regular-season looms large on the horizon, it’s safe to say Laughton might just be the Leafs' most underrated forward.

It isn’t just Laughton’s relatively cheap salary cap hit of $1.5 million – half the amount of Laughton’s actual salary of $3 million, as the Flyers retained $1.5 million of his deal in the trade – that makes him easy to overlook as someone who could be a key Leafs contributor this season. It’s also the fact that he doesn’t score highlight-reel goals or knock an opponent into next week by using his body as a weapon. Laughton is listed at 6-foot-1, but that’s a generous listing, so he’s got to use his hockey instincts, intense focus and drive to give him a leg up in competition. But he showed last spring he can do exactly that.

In the wake of the Mitch Marner era ending in Toronto, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving chose to beef up his bottom-six group of forwards. Newcomers Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua are pencilled in on the Leafs’ third line. And the trickle-down effect on the Leafs’ fourth line means Laughton will be centering left winger Steven Lortentz, and after that, there’s a right-wing job opening for one of wingers Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok, Kampf or Michael Pezzetta to grab hold of.

One thing that isn’t in question is Laughton as Toronto’s fourth-line center. He showed last season that he can rise to the occasion, and as someone who honed his leadership qualities in 11 NHL seasons with the Flyers, Laughton will also be a vital voice in the Leafs’ dressing room. 

At age 31, Laughton is still a highly-effective competitor, and as the Buds focus on going deeper in the playoffs this season, Laughton is going to be a notable component of Toronto's attack. And he may wind up exceeding expectations. Certainly, he wasn’t happy with his regular season last year, but he’s intent on a bounce-back season and a better post-season. And like a true leader should, Laughton is taking full responsibility for everything that happened in his initial time as a Leaf.

“I wasn't good enough last year,” Laughton told THN.com’s David Alter at training camp this week. “That's the bottom line."

Playing for his hometown Maple Leafs was a dream come true for Laughton last season, but now, the dream has evolved, and the bar has risen for Laughton and all his Leafs teammates. Laughton knows the pressure is on everyone in Blue & White, but he responded well in important games last season, and there’s no reason he can’t do so again this time around.

And if he does perform to expectations, a contract extension beginning in 2026-27 will materialize for Laughton. He's going to be the author of his destiny this season, and Laughton may prove to be just what Treliving was looking for when he ponied up Grebenkin and a first-rounder. He's going to be in the pressure-cooker right out of the gate this year, but Laughton has lasted more than a decade in hockey's top league because he's been a consistent performer.

And if last season proves to be a blip on his radar, Laughton will show Leafs fans he was more than worth the high price Toronto paid to acquire him.

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