Some non-trade news has broken out of the Philadelphia Flyers organization. They’ve signed centre Scott Laughton to a five-year extension. The deal carries a $3 million cap hit, and will carry him through the 2025-26 season.
$3M AAV for Scott Laughton on a five year deal in PHI.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) April 12, 2021
Scott Laughton Inks Five-Year Extension With Flyers
The five-year extension for Laughton comes during the season after his breakout in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. With nine points in 15 games, Laughton showed flashes of why he was taken 20th overall by Philly in 2012.
Now 26, however, Laughton mostly fills the bill of a quality third-line centre. With a career-high of 32 points, he won’t break the bank offensively. But he’s still dependable. With 17 points through 38 games this season, he’d be on pace for a career-high 37 points over a full campaign.
An eight-year NHL veteran, Laughton’s spent the entirety of his career in the City of Brotherly Love. Through 359 career NHL games, he’s scored 51 goals and 72 assists for 123 career points.
What This Means for Philadelphia
This deal could go either way in terms of value. Currently, $3 million is great value for Laughton’s services, and on a short-term deal, makes perfect sense. If Laughton’s able to keep up his standard of play throughout the deal, it’s a good contract. However, the last two years of this deal as Laughton approaches his 30s could see the centre fall off, leaving Philly with an expensive depth piece.
Laughton is an ideal fit in Philadelphia’s bottom-six. They’ve got a skilled top-six, who even though they may not be producing this year, has an offensive touch. Laughton is an average NHLer offensively but sets himself apart with his possession metrics. He limits quality against and, throughout the duration of his deal, could serve as a solid backbone to help break Philly’s forward prospects into the NHL.
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