Confirmed with Link: Laughton re-signed, 2 years $2.3 M AAV (Thread From 2019)

[Magua]

I don't know why some people can't rationalize that players can produce on individual plays and get good results while the process might need some fine tuning or bar raising. It doesn't have to be an inherent flaw with a line or an individual on that line. But if a line is -3-4% in relxGF% (in small sample still, with a weird team in underlying metrics), and some guys are rocking high shooting %s, it at least opens up room for examination into present sustainability, without change. Doubt is healthy in small doses. You can wait and see before planting flags as soon as possible.

Now, Laughton was a savage today in many ways, and this team is better with him than without him, and that line has been productive of late. He's always been a versatile player who can be your 4th liner center or 4th line winger (ideally) or 6W as needed, given he has quiet skill (even if Patrick is still MIA, and JVR is quietly producing on the 4th line). I'm Team Scott. Just not the Dave one.

 

[prototypical4thliner]

They kinda haven't looked good as a line, as far as the eye test goes. Laughtons had good moments as an individual though. He's not to blame for the lines struggles.

The fact that their fancy stats are so bad, even while producing a bit, suggests that their current burst of scoring isn't sustainable and won't continue. But I know that short term scoring (or lack thereof) is something that gets hyper-focused on around here by some. I doubt Hayes 27% shooting or Laughtons 30% will continue, but that's just me.

Hehehe. He had a great game and has looked the part on a good forth line. I agree let’s not get carried away. He shouldn’t be above the forth for any regular amount of time on a deep team.

 

[Appleyard]

View attachment 288089

Hehehe. He had a great game and has looked the part on a good forth line. I agree let’s not get carried away. He shouldn’t be above the forth for any regular amount of time on a deep team.

I think when you look around the league he is a fine #6 winger given his production and defensive game... I.E. if he is the 3rd wheel on your 3rd line it should not "stop" you contending in any way. Most cup finalists have had inferior or similar players in that spot!

But yeh, if you have him and Raffl on a 4th together then the fwd depth is for sure amongst best in NHL. (which Flyers is when healthy.)

 

[prototypical4thliner]

I think when you look around the league he is a fine #6 winger given his production and defensive game... I.E. if he is the 3rd wheel on your 3rd line it should not "stop" you contending in any way. Most cup finalists have had inferior or similar players in that spot!

But yeh, if you have him and Raffl on a 4th together then the fwd depth is for sure amongst best in NHL. (which Flyers is when healthy.)

That’s what I’m hinting at. It was discussed during the summer even, that if raffl and Laughton made up two thirds of your forth line with another competent forward, we were going to be looking good. I think jvr is better served playing up and out of his slump, but this team has the depth to survive some adversity.

we are going to see, because I expect konecny to miss a bit of time.

 

[Appleyard]

That’s what I’m hinting at. It was discussed during the summer even, that if raffl and Laughton made up two thirds of your forth line with another competent forward, we were going to be looking good. I think jvr is better served playing up and out of his slump, but this team has the depth to survive some adversity.

we are going to see, because I expect konecny to miss a bit of time.

Hopefully Konecny is fine... he has been so good to start the year.

if Patrick gets back the Flyers bottom 6 will be the best in the NHL on paper.

 

[prototypical4thliner]

Hopefully Konecny is fine... he has been so good to start the year.

if Patrick gets back the Flyers bottom 6 will be the best in the NHL on paper.

It’s the pessimist in me. We’re not allowed to have nice things.

But yes, if this team gets Patrick back and producing even at last years level for the playoffs—and the d and g continue to play at current levels—we are going to be a scary first round out for a team and could very easily win a round.

 

[Appleyard]

It’s the pessimist in me. We’re not allowed to have nice things.

But yes, if this team gets Patrick back and producing even at last years level for the playoffs—and the d and g continue to play at current levels—we are going to be a scary first round out for a team and could very easily win a round.

Giroux-Frost-Konecny
Lindblom-Couturier-Voracek
JvR-Hayes-Farabee
Laughton-Patrick-Raffl

would just be silly.

 

[deadhead]

I think Hayes has benefited more than Laughton:
last six games CF 51.70%, xGF 49.50%, HDCF 59.38%
Laughton
last six games CF 47.37%, xGF 39.02%, HDCF 42.50%

As far as someone whining about Niskanen - last six games:
Provorov CF 54.55%, xGF 54.96%, HDCF 53.85%
Niskanen CF 55.74%, xGF 55.51%, HDCF 51.35%

The guy struggling over that stretch:
Farabee CF 44.48%, xGF 35.12%, HDCF 41.18% is the weak link on that line

JVR seems to have found a home on the 4th line, him and Pitlick are burning it up, along with Myers and TK.

 

[deadhead]

Giroux-Frost-Konecny
Lindblom-Couturier-Voracek
JvR-Hayes-Farabee
Laughton-Patrick-Raffl

would just be silly.

I'd switch JVR and Laughton, JVR and Hayes don't seem to have any chemistry, probably because you need more speed with Hayes, also a good reason to move Lindblom with Frost and Giroux back with Couts. Frost could use a physical LW on that line, and G & Couts have great chemistry.

 

[TCTC]

Giroux-Frost-Konecny
Lindblom-Couturier-Voracek
JvR-Hayes-Farabee
Laughton-Patrick-Raffl

would just be silly.

Chemistry is important too though. On paper this lineup looks good and naturally you want JVR on that 3rd line instead of Laughton, but Hayes and JVR just haven't been good together whereas Hayes and Laughton seem to have good chemistry.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

I genuinely am sorry if this has been brought up and I didn't see it...

but I know over the years, Scott Laughton has been viewed as a bust as a 1st round pick. Now that we've seen how his career has shaped and how he contributes, is that a fair opinion any longer?

If Laughton stays exactly what he is for 7 more years, is that a successful 1st round pick?

Curious to hear thoughts

 

[TCTC]

I genuinely am sorry if this has been brought up and I didn't see it...

but I know over the years, Scott Laughton has been viewed as a bust as a 1st round pick. Now that we've seen how his career has shaped and how he contributes, is that a fair opinion any longer?

If Laughton stays exactly what he is for 7 more years, is that a successful 1st round pick?

Curious to hear thoughts

The only way I'd call a 20th overall pick a bust is if he doesn't make it to the NHL. Not every first round pick turns into a top 6 player.

For a 20th OA pick in a pretty weak draft year I think we got good value.

 

[YEM]

The only way I'd call a 20th overall pick a bust is if he doesn't make it to the NHL. Not every first round pick turns into a top 6 player.

For a 20th OA pick in a pretty weak draft year I think we got good value.

agree
he'll hit 500 games played in the league in 2.5 years or so, yr not close to a bust if you get there.
that draft was pretty weird in that there's basically not one player from that year who you'd consider a top 50 player in the league today and they're all 25+ now...

 

[TCTC]

agree
he'll hit 500 games played in the league in 2.5 years or so, yr not close to a bust if you get there.
that draft was pretty weird in that there's basically not one player from that year who you'd consider a top 50 player in the league today and they're all 25+ now...

Yep, probably the worst top 4 in a draft year in a long time (Yakupov, Murray, Galchenyuk, Reinhart).

It's crazy that just one year later the top 4 was MacKinnon, Barkov, Drouin, and Jones.

 

[Tripod]

Well when drafted, most thought he could be a good #3C who was good defensively. A comparable at the time was John Madden.

He hasn't busted, but he hasn't become what was hoped either. He is not as offensive as hoped and not as good defensively as hoped. But he can still contribute to us winning.

 

[PDX Flyer]

I always thought Laughton was overwhelmed at center but he has a niche as a mid/bottom winger. Love the chemistry with Hayes and glad he is finding his groove. Effort was never an issue with him which goes a long way as a fan, at least for me

 

[Hexxxy]

It’s the pessimist in me. We’re not allowed to have nice things.

But yes, if this team gets Patrick back and producing even at last years level for the playoffs—and the d and g continue to play at current levels—we are going to be a scary first round out for a team and could very easily win a round.

team would contend for the division actually w laughton playing to spec and patrick at last year’s level.

 

[TCTC]

Well when drafted, most thought he could be a good #3C who was good defensively. A comparable at the time was John Madden.

He hasn't busted, but he hasn't become what was hoped either. He is not as offensive as hoped and not as good defensively as hoped. But he can still contribute to us winning.

I think the problem for Laughton was that when he was drafted he instantly became our top prospect because we didn't have any other back then. So naturally the expectations were higher than for a guy like Rubtsov, for example.

 

[Curufinwe]

Hehehe. He had a great game and has looked the part on a good forth line. I agree let’s not get carried away. He shouldn’t be above the forth for any regular amount of time on a deep team.

Are you talking about Pitlick, because Laughton has been on the 3rd line all season.

NHL.com - Stats

 

[prototypical4thliner]

Are you talking about Pitlick, because Laughton has been on the 3rd line all season.

NHL.com - Stats

Nah, I do mean Laughton. And yes, I know he’s been on the third line and doing well. What my point is—again, something a lot of us articulated during the summer—that if we’re running out a forth line of raffl-Laughton-x then we’re super deep. We may not have the top talent to compete against some teams but we have the depth to come wave after wave. If Patrick was healthy (revisionist because then maybe we don’t spend fifty over seven on hayes) we’d have exactly that set up.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

This team is damn close to being really dangerous.

I’d love to get Josh Anderson.

 

[Tripod]

This team is damn close to being really dangerous.

I’d love to get Josh Anderson.

I am sure you would be singing a different tune if he had 4 points in 24 games on OUR team.

 

[Striiker]

I love that we have posters on this board campaigning to get rid of some of this teams best players while simultaneously lusting after other teams worst performing players.

What a wonderful place the internet is.

 

[Tripod]

I love that we have posters on this board campaigning to get rid of some of this teams best players while simultaneously lusting after other teams worst performing players.

What a wonderful place the internet is.

Yeah we have 12 forwards outproducing him.

 

[Striiker]

Yeah we have 12 forwards outproducing him.

I bet I can guess who they'd propose we part with to get him.