Scott Laughton impressing at camp

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

http://www.mcall.com/sports/hockey/flyers/mc-flyers-practice-0114-20130114,0,6046510.story

So, Laughton is really making a name for himself at camp. You know something, he might just make it and play a big role on the club this season. Maybe it's just me, but I'm loving that the rookie forwards making it onto the team. These kids just get it.

Couturier came in last year and he became the de facto defensive conscience. Now, we see Laughton following in a similar role - make the team on the merit of exceptional defensive play and awareness.

Personally, I would like to see Laughton finish this year and spend another year in the OHL to round out his offensive game, but he might be just one of those players who's offensive game can be developed at the pro level.

I have to admit though, I'm impressed at how well these young guys know the defensive zone and their attention to details. I love offensive hockey, but these kids have embraced the defensive game and they are making it look real good and real easy.

I'll also be the first to admit that I'm a big Scott Laughton fan. After the suspension, he just started playing at a completely other level. He really was Mississauga's best player when Jenner was at the WJC and it wasn't even close. He was fantastic. I really see why the Flyers drafted him. If he goes back to junior for one more season, he's an 75 - 80 point forward with exceptional defensive awareness. He could become a better scoring Keith Primeau-type player.

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[sobrien]

I think he's sure to start the season with the pro team with Briere's injury. But I feel he should get the 5 game trial and head back to the O.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

I'm definitely all for giving him the 5 game trial to show what he can do, but i don't think there's a point to just sending him back afterwards for the hell of it. if he plays well and shows that he's capable of playing in the NHL and has potential to develop at this level, then why send him back to the OHL? i feel like if can play and serve a purpose on our team, then he should stay. even when brier comes back, he should be moved to the wing anyway. i'd like to see...

Hartnell-Giroux-Schenn
Briere-Couturier-Voracek
Simmonds-Laughton-Read
Fedotenko-Talbot-Wellwood/Rinaldo
Rinaldo/Wellwood

that's at least 2 very capable defensive forwards on each line, plus the ability to score 1 through 4. this should be our target offense IMO.

 

[Embiid]

While it would be cool if he pulled a Couturier and made the team outright....I would be careful. Curious to see how he does however. Supposedly he's good at faceoffs...god knows we need a lot of help in that department still...

 

[FadeToBlack]

Short season sure will help too...

 

[dats81]

Couts has been the exception to the rule. How many youngsters not only make the team in their draft year but show so much consistency and stay with the team for the whole season and are trusted in critical situations on the ice?

Lavi also needs to be given credit for his careful handling of Couturier's playing time and limited EV duties. This and a shortened season may also make it happen for Laughton but there is no actual need to burn a year on his ELC when we have enough healthy forwards that can just fill in with similar outcome.

Let him play a couple of games until Briere is healthy and then send him back.
I think the lockout may have been a blessing in disguise in case of Couts: while he really stunned everybody in the NHL last year, his 30ish games with the Phantoms this season where he could play big minutes in all situations was exactly what he needed to take his overall game to the next level. Same for Laughton: he needs to play play play to shape his game.

 

[RoDu]

If he earns a spot, he earns a spot

 

[FLYguy3911]

Couts has been the exception to the rule. How many youngsters not only make the team in their draft year but show so much consistency and stay with the team for the whole season and are trusted in critical situations on the ice?

Lavi also needs to be given credit for his careful handling of Couturier's playing time and limited EV duties. This and a shortened season may also make it happen for Laughton but there is no actual need to burn a year on his ELC when we have enough healthy forwards that can just fill in with similar outcome.

Let him play a couple of games until Briere is healthy and then send him back.
I think the lockout may have been a blessing in disguise in case of Couts: while he really stunned everybody in the NHL last year, his 30ish games with the Phantoms this season where he could play big minutes in all situations was exactly what he needed to take his overall game to the next level. Same for Laughton: he needs to play play play to shape his game.

Agreed. Couturier had an extra year of development and had dominated his league for two seasons prior to being drafted. There was nothing to gain by sending him back. He was also bigger and more mature physically than Laughton.

 

[thelos]

I am fine with him getting a 5 game tryout, but when Briere is back he should probably go back down and take what he learned to improve his game

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Flyers have awesome success with late round forwards, so here's to hoping Laughton fits that bill!

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

(Late round being late in the 1st round.)

 

[ORYX]

Where the Flyers have success in drafting in the first round of late, is that the players they take have strong defensive aptitude, with their defensive play being a strong element of their game.

Looking back at the past, drafting players with single dimensions didnt really work out as well as planned I would imagine. JVR is gone, Carter gone, Williams gone, a bunce of D players gone. Then you look at where the real value was received in a trade and look no further then Richards going to LA as a very strong two way player. Steve downie was a strong two way player. Too bad he had to leave.

Giroux was mostly one dimensional but of the last very long time, he is one of the only offensive players to really flurish as a Flyers draft pick.

Most recently we have Courturier and Laughton, which I believe we will continue to see the Flyers draft strong defensive players. Couturier also has a high offensive ceiling, which should continue to grow at the pro level.

Where am I going with all this? While I feel Laughton possesses the defensive ability etc, he isnt where the other players were offensively when they came in and made the club better. IMO he only sticks around for 5 games or Briere is healthy because he still has maturing to do at the junior level. He does not fit the mold of an NHL ready player like others in the past have.

I'd be afraid to stunt his growth with limited minutes, and we're likely talking quite a bit less then Couturier last season.

 

[Flame Demers*]

Where is Matt Read going to be placed in your lineup this year? in your opinions? I always liked him

and im bummed JVR got traded, he went to my highschool

 

[thelos]

Where is Matt Read going to be placed in your lineup this year? in your opinions? I always liked him

and im bummed JVR got traded, he went to my highschool

When Briere is back, Read will likely be with Couturier on the 3rd line, and the 2nd PP unit. With Briere hurt, Read has been playing a bit of C with Fedotenko and Simmonds on his wings in camp, we'll see what happens game 1

 

[youthoftoday]

How much longer does the OHL season last? Would another 2 months of full time play there make that much difference to his game compared to limited playing time here, but at the pro level? Obviously, if he struggles right out of the gate, he should get sent back, but if he shows enough in those first few games, I'd say keep him.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

How much longer does the OHL season last? Would another 2 months of full time play there make that much difference to his game compared to limited playing time here, but at the pro level? Obviously, if he struggles right out of the gate, he should get sent back, but if he shows enough in those first few games, I'd say keep him.

Exactly my point.

If he can play, he can play. If he can't, he can't. It shouldn't be looked at in any other way.

 

[Jack de la Hoya]

If Laughton can come in an play a Couturier-lite role defensively, it might free up Couturier to get a bit more PP / offensive zone minutes, which could be beneficial for his development.

 

[ORYX]

How much longer does the OHL season last? Would another 2 months of full time play there make that much difference to his game compared to limited playing time here, but at the pro level? Obviously, if he struggles right out of the gate, he should get sent back, but if he shows enough in those first few games, I'd say keep him.

Oshawa has 25 games remaining, of which he would likely miss at the least 5 of while getting his games in with the Flyers.

Regular season ends Mid March, Then there is playoffs. Oshawa is currently in 3rd in the conference. They should by all accounts win a round, maybe 2.

Depends how you look at it though, if Jenner isnt returned to Oshawa, he could see 25+ a game, over a 20 game stretch plus playoffs. Here he is only going to see 5-7 minutes a game over MAYBE 48.

OHL:
25 Minutes x 20 Games = 500 Minutes + lets say 10 playoff games (30 a game = 300 Minutes) = 800 minutes of PK, PP, EV time.

NHL:

7 Minutes x 48 Games = 336 Minutes + playoffs.

So to answer, if he gets his 5 and is returned, he will likely, in my rough estimates see more then double the ice time he would if he remained a Flyer.

Im in the "If he earns a Spot, he earned it" camp. Im just looking long term, and IMO, having watched him in the OHL the past 2 years, I dont in my non-professional opinion think he'd benefit from staying up in the NHL this season.

 

[Appleyard]

While it would be cool if he pulled a Couturier and made the team outright....I would be careful. Curious to see how he does however. Supposedly he's good at faceoffs...god knows we need a lot of help in that department still...

Even if he is good at faceoffs in junior, doubt he would be above 50% in the NHL, players always drop about 5%-10% from junior to NHL, then take time to build back up to junior numbers.

One of the reasons we are so bad at faceoffs is the relatively young age of our centres, over the first 4 years of an NHL career most centres improve at about 1-2% a year, and over 4 about 7% on average.

So Couts at 47% and Schenn at 46% should turn into guys who are a minimum of 51-52% guys. And in Juniors Couts was a beast on the dot, his playoff figures were 53% as well, best of any regular rookie centre, I imagine this year Couts will be around 49-50% and Schenn 48%.

Spezza was at 45% as a rookie, now 53%
Thornton was at 43%, now 56%
Bergeron was at 49%, now 59%
E. Staal was at 43%, now 53%
J. Staal was at 37%, now 51%
Crosby was at 45%, now 55%
Getzlaf was 44%, now 48%
Pavelski was at 48%, now at 59%
Toews was at 53%, now at 59%
Datsyuk was at 47%, now at 56%

Not hoping he fails or anything, actually really looking forward to seeing him, but rookies generally never come in and do well in faceoffs... unless you are Toews.

 

[Garbage Goal]

The more I think about it the more I think he should just be given his tryout and sent down. Rookies typically don't fare well in the face-off circle so no need there. He's obviously not ready to produce offensively. Our forward roster has crazy depth anyhow so there's no urgent need. Still, give him a tryout to see how he does.

 

[Hockeypete49]

http://www.mcall.com/sports/hockey/flyers/mc-flyers-practice-0114-20130114,0,6046510.story

So, Laughton is really making a name for himself at camp. You know something, he might just make it and play a big role on the club this season. Maybe it's just me, but I'm loving that the rookie forwards making it onto the team. These kids just get it.

Couturier came in last year and he became the de facto defensive conscience. Now, we see Laughton following in a similar role - make the team on the merit of exceptional defensive play and awareness.

Personally, I would like to see Laughton finish this year and spend another year in the OHL to round out his offensive game, but he might be just one of those players who's offensive game can be developed at the pro level.

I have to admit though, I'm impressed at how well these young guys know the defensive zone and their attention to details. I love offensive hockey, but these kids have embraced the defensive game and they are making it look real good and real easy.

I'll also be the first to admit that I'm a big Scott Laughton fan. After the suspension, he just started playing at a completely other level. He really was Mississauga's best player when Jenner was at the WJC and it wasn't even close. He was fantastic. I really see why the Flyers drafted him. If he goes back to junior for one more season, he's an 75 - 80 point forward with exceptional defensive awareness. He could become a better scoring Keith Primeau-type player.

I too am a big Laughton fan and wish nothing but the best for him. My concern is not his knowledge of the game and what he brings to the table, but his physical maturity. As a 18 year old he will find himself in battles with men who would love nothing to do but welcome the rookie into the league, if you get my drift. But saying that, if he makes the team then I am all for it. If you are a Flyers fan you have to be excited about the core and future of this team. They are going to be a pisser of a team for years to come to play against!

 

[CS]

If Laughton can come in an play a Couturier-lite role defensively, it might free up Couturier to get a bit more PP / offensive zone minutes, which could be beneficial for his development.

The end-game goal moving forward is definitely to have Giroux --> Couturier --> Laughton as our 1,2,3 down the middle.

Hartnell - Giroux - BSchenn
Simmonds - Couturier - Voracek
Talbot - Laughton - Read/Wellwood

Would a fourth line role be beneficial for Laughton this year? Well, we do need a fourth line center. Getting heavy PK minutes at a young age certainly benefited Couturier as well.

Let's say we fill up our roster, and everyone's healthy. We also keep Laughton because we need a fourth line center.

What are we looking at?

EV
Hartnell - Giroux - BSchenn
Simmonds - Briere - Read
Talbot - Couturier - Voracek
Fedotenko - Laughton - Wellwood
Shelley

PK1
Talbot - Fedotenko

PK2
Couturier/Wellwood - Laughton

Sheltered defensive minutes and a PK role. Sounds a lot like how Couturier was brought in.

 

[healthyscratch]

Good points above about the kid. It's probably just a 5 game or less look see while Briere is out. No reason to keep him up for the season, we don't need his depth just yet.

But...

Would anyone trade him in a package for Yandle, or OEL? I'm sure most would; how about Laughton, Gus and a 1st for Yandle, 3rd? Any chance? (I'm not usually good with trade proposals)

 

[Embiid]

EV
Hartnell - Giroux - BSchenn
Simmonds - Briere - Read
Talbot - Couturier - Voracek
Fedotenko - Laughton - Wellwood
Shelley
PK1
Talbot - Fedotenko

PK2
Couturier/Wellwood - Laughton

Sheltered defensive minutes and a PK role. Sounds a lot like how Couturier was brought in.

Funny how Shelley is always a footnote...

 

[CS]

Good points above about the kid. It's probably just a 5 game or less look see while Briere is out. No reason to keep him up for the season, we don't need his depth just yet.

But...

Would anyone trade him in a package for Yandle, or OEL? I'm sure most would; how about Laughton, Gus and a 1st for Yandle, 3rd? Any chance? (I'm not usually good with trade proposals)

I'd do it for OEL. I would not do it for Yandle.

Phoenix would probably accept it for Yandle, would not accept it for OEL.

So we've hit a roadblock.