Philadelphia Flyers 2024-25 Player Preview: Scott Laughton

It's hard to believe that Scott Laughton has been a Flyer for 11 years now. Only Sean Couturier has been here longer, and that is only by a season. And like Couturier, Laughton brings something that can't always be seen on the stats sheet. The Flyers' alternate captain has been a mainstay here for a while now. He brings leadership and a fundamental skill set that is hard to find.

If you go by just stats alone, you could consider Laughton a bust. He's never cracked 20 goals and has reached 40+ points just one time (2022-23). He is still five goals away from reaching 100 career goals. He's not an assist machine. although to be fair, he's mostly been centering the Flyers third line units.

So why is he valuable? Why do the Flyers love him? Why does his name come up every trade deadline and offseason for trades? And speaking of that, why is the cost of obtaining him so high?

Scott Laughton provides valuable skills to the Flyers

Like Couturier, he is a solid defensive forward, although Couturier is a better goal scorer. He consistently delivers hits, but at the same time, he is responsible. You rarely see him penalized. He is adept at stealing the puck but doesn't cough it up too much. While he could be better in the faceoff circle (career average of 49.7%), he isn't a liability either.

He's been a mentor in the locker room. Considering that he has been around for over a decade, he's talked to the young players on this team for years now, trying to help bring them along. He's one of those guys who help make the players around him just a little bit better because of his work ethic, his fundamentals, and his grittiness.

When you see him on the ice, you know he is battling for his teammates. He is going to war on the rink to do whatever it takes to help this team win. He is also helping some of the guys understand what John Tortorella wants and expects of his players.

Let's be honest. It's been well known that sometimes Tortorella can rub his players the wrong way. He is a demanding coach, but not unreasonable. He wants to see his players play their best. That doesn't mean they all have to score 40+ goals, but that means that they don't give up on a play and do all the "little things" correctly". Laughton has the ability, as a clubhouse leader, to translate Tortorella to the guys.

""He has your back. It's not personal. He's trying to do what he thinks is best for the team and that time, and everyone's gotten throughout the year at some point. I think it's how you handle it, and I think guys have a ton of respect for Torts in the room."

Tortorella will be the coach to fix this team. But along the way he needs players to buy into what he is preaching and help be leaders in the clubhouse. Laughton is one of those guys. It's why he has the "A" on his jersey. It's why his name comes up every year around trade time. It is also why he'll be a Flyer for years to come.