'I'm Starting To Find My Footing': How Scott Laughton Is Adjusting To Life With Maple Leafs After First Eight Games

Laughton hasn't registered a point since being acquired by the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline.

Scott Laughton has yet to score a point for the Maple Leafs, but his play is beginning to improve.

Since being acquired by Toronto from the Philadelphia Flyers, the 30-year-old has played in several positions under coach Craig Berube, both on the wing and at center. He's been a minus-five through eight games with Toronto while averaging 12:32 of ice time. 

On Monday, one day before facing his former club, Laughton lined up beside Max Domi and Nick Robertson on the third line.

"Sometimes coming to a new team, it's less to think about, less to do. I don't want to put so much on him early on," Berube said when asked about Laughton on Domi's wing. "But it's not that he can't play center. He's played center a lot in his career and he's played wing. He's played both. Just trying to find some chemistry for him."

Toronto's head coach added that he likes having two players on a line that can play center: "I think that's important. Faceoffs are important. He'll get reps at both [center and the wing]."

Born in Oakville, Ontario, this is very much a homecoming for Laughton. A moment like this — playing for your hometown team that you grew up watching — can be very daunting.

You can see in his game that he's putting pressure on himself. Even Berube has said so. But over time, the pressure will fade. Laughton understands when his game is going well, and when it needs to be better.

"I think I always put pressure on myself. I think you have to a little bit in this league," he said Monday.

"I'm pretty self-aware of what's going on and been in the league long enough now where you know when you're going, when you need to pick it up, things like that. I'm pretty self-aware of that, but you just take it in stride and put your best foot forward every day and try and get better."

Laughton, though, hasn't registered a point in over a month. He had an assist on Feb. 22 with the Flyers, who were playing against the Edmonton Oilers. That was 13 games ago.

With the Flyers, Laughton had 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 60 games.

"It's been crazy for sure. But I think I'm starting to find my footing. I think my game in Nashville was one of my better ones, so build on it," Laughton said.

"It doesn't really matter the role here, I think you try and help this team and be a part of it. I think I'm learning every day and getting better every day. But yeah, I got to see my family two nights ago, so that was nice. It kind of keeps you grounded through this whole thing."

He also mentioned that the biggest adjustment after the trade has been feeling comfortable in the dressing room.  Amidst that, though, Laughton is enjoying playing meaningful hockey.

"You want to be a part of it but not overstep, especially at the start. But yeah, just that comfortability, but the guys have been awesome with me," he said. "It's been really cool at this time of year to be playing this kind of hockey, and important hockey. I haven't done it in a little bit, so I'm really excited."

Laughton has been a Maple Leaf for 17 days. Toronto's been on the road for seven of those days. But Laughton has played four games at home and has witnessed what being a Maple Leafs player is all about.

The biggest change from Philadelphia to Toronto?

"Probably walking down the street and getting noticed more than you would in Philly. That's probably the biggest change for me," Laughton smiled.

"It's cool to walk down and see how many Leafs fans there are staying at the hotel. Walking to every game, seeing all the jerseys before the game, it's cool. It's a cool moment."

On Tuesday, for the first time in Laughton's hockey career, he'll play against his former team. The Flyers drafted him in 2012 and he's appeared in 661 of his 669 NHL games with them.

It'll be different, but it's something he's looking forward to. And the player he's most excited to play against: Travis Konecny, who Laughton's been since 2016. Both players also grew up in Ontario.

"We've talked about it our whole careers if we play against each other," Laughton said.

"We usually like to chirp a little bit. It'll be pretty funny seeing him on the other side. But, yeah, it's another game. It's maybe a little bit more important, but it's going to be weird."

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