Other than the history of Hextall with Philly, a guess at a possible Laughton to Pittsburgh is only a guess by Friedman. I don't take anything a GM says at 100% full face value, and I certainly don't take a rumor driver at 100% either.
It's nice to talk potential trades, but some like to use talk as absolutes.
I ask myself, does Laughton make the Pens a better team when healthy? Probably. Does he bring more than what they currently have? I don't think so. This seems more like piling up depth at the center position. I don't think he does anything particularly more than what they have, he isn't that "it" factor to say the Pens have become a true contender.
Some say he'd be like a Blake Coleman add for Tampa? Maybe.
I think the Pens need a difference maker, a guy other teams will have to actually account for. That doesn't scream, Laughton. Or worth giving a 1st or even a 2nd for. Coleman at least was a b2b 20+ goal scorer and that's a threat to take notice of. Maybe Laughton takes that step forward, but Tampa bought the threat as is and not a maybe. Neither are being the "Blake Coleman" of before the trade at the current moment.
Considering the Pens have a couple players the like of Laughton in Blueger and McCann and a lot of C depth behind them it would need to be a guy who's better than them at some key factor like PK and faceoff ability's on the PK, and Laughton is worse than what they currently have at a whopping (defensive zone PK faceoff percentage) 25.9%.
I don't like this as a must have pickup for the Pens. Glendening, is at 51.3% and makes much more sense for defensive zone PK faceoffs of an area the Pens are severely lacking and is closer to a 50/50 win ratio than the 30 % to 40%/70% to 60% they have been experiencing. Every PK starts with one in your defensive zone.
Make sense?
