January 7, 2025 | 11:02am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
LAUGHTON ON TEAM RADARS, BUT FLYERS IN NO RUSH
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Scott Laughton, forward
The Philadelphia Flyers are within striking distance of a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference as they maintain their rebuilding objective.
With the likes of Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, Matvei Michkov, Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Alexei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov all regulars on the club and 25 years of age or younger, the youth movement has taken over in Philly.
Outside of a handful of pending restricted free agents, the Flyers have just one veteran – defenceman Erik Johnson – set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Flyers GM Danny Briere continues to do his due diligence and have conversations with his GM counterparts, but with the trade deadline two months away, the Flyers are not expected to be overly aggressive in terms of selling off any pieces unless the right offers present themselves.
On Monday’s edition of “The Latest” on TFP, David Pagnotta addressed the Flyers and their approach to the deadline.
“They’re maintaining their course of their rebuild and they’re another team that’s starting to take the next steps in that process,” he said. “But they don’t have any impact guys that are on expiring contracts that are set for UFA status in July... They have guys with term, whether it’s Rasmus Ristolainen on the backend or Scott Laughton up front, who has another year left on his contract. Those are players that have generated interest before.
“Philly and Danny Briere, their GM, they’re going to continue to listen, but it doesn’t look like they’re in much of a position to be a big player in a seller’s market.”
Laughton, 30, comes with an attractive $3 million salary cap hit and another year left on his contract after this season. He does not own any no-trade protection.
Multiple teams, one of which is the Toronto Maple Leafs, have expressed interest in trading for Laughton in the past and most are expected to circle back in the coming weeks to discuss his availability.
The Flyers own three first-round draft picks and three second-round picks in this summer’s NHL Draft, which takes place in Los Angeles, and could continue to stockpile high picks by moving Laughton or Ristolainen by the deadline.
“They’re not in a rush to make any impact type moves,” Pagnotta said of the Flyers. “They want to continue to see how their younger kids develop and how this team and their roster can perform down the stretch.”
Through 40 games with the Flyers so far this season, Laughton has registered nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points.