Laughton leaving Flyers
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Laughton leaving Flyers
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
TAMPA _ The Flyers are sending center Scott Laughton back to his junior team in the OHL, GM Paul Holmgren said before Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.
Holmgren said it was a difficult decision, but that it was in Laughton's "best interest" to get more seasoning.
"He needs to play and needs to play in all situations," Holmgren said. "...The little bit of time he had here was good for him and good for us."
Laughton, 18, played five games with the Flyers, and if he had played Sunday, his entry-level contract would have started.
Tweeted Laughton: "Great experience with the @NHLFlyers and honored to be apart of such a great organization."
Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said Laughton "looked strong. He certainly hasn't looked out of place" in his stint with the team. "Defensively, he's been in the right position. He's physical, smart. He's gotten some scoring chances."
Laughton, the team's No. 1 pick (20th overall) in the June draft, played well but was scoreless in five games.
In the OHL, Laughton will rejoin Oshawa, which doesn't play again until Friday. Oshawa ends its regular season on March 17, and Laughton could return to the Flyers after his OHL team's playoffs end.
But that seems unlikely because the Flyers wouldn't want to burn off a year of his contract.
Holmgren said he had depth in the minors if recalls had to be made, and he praised the development of the Phantoms' Harry Zolnierczyk.
Leighton gets nod. Backup goalie Michael Leighton will get his first start of the season Sunday when the Flyers (2-3) play the host Lightning (3-1) at 6 p.m.
good move. give him time to grow— xrajux- told you— philly thug
- Yeah good move , the kid needs to play , needs ice time and he wasn't going to get much of that w / Briere , Mcginn and now Knuble here ... he's so young and he'll have a shot next year .. good luck kid ...— ingy9
- Laughton won't be playing much at Oshawa, the Generals only have 19 games left on their schedule.
- Good idea, don't start his clock on half a season.— Sidewinder7
- He'd have played here. But the kid's only 18 and with good health, he'll be back sooner than later. He's got his head on straight and he'll be fine.— PhillySubsMac
Money dictates as much as all the cliche reasons for sending him back to the minors. Think not? Read all the articles up to today, everyone assured he would stay. I guess 40 year old Mike Knuble makes him expendable. Read that last sentence sarcastically.
The Flyers have tons of cap space since they prepared for Weber and/or Suter. They can still get after Subban, to shore up the defense.
In any event, I like the team I saw play the last two nights. I love Hartnell, but he is as much a liability as an asset, at times. Addition by subtraction?
Time will tell. GO FLYERS!!- Good decision. Let him play in the Juniors. He can help the Flyers in 1 or 2 years. Keeping McGinn and Knuble is better for the playoff chances.— zeke128
- Hey Ken But Oshawa is pretty good this yeart and could go deep in the junior playoffs , and in all those games Laughton will get Alot of ice time , i just don't think he was really ready , close but no cigar .. look for him next training camp ..— ingy9
- who cares its Hockey, NBC ready to cancel tv contract— johnphilly
- Trade him for a defensemen before everyone realizes he can't score.— schnitzelboy
- I like the fact that he was one of if not the youngest player in the entire nhl, yet still managed to hold his own(no points but no mistakes either), not a bad showing for an 18yr old kid. If he turns out to be trade bait as some seem to think, he'll be more desirable with his entry contract still at full length. I guess the bottom line is since he won't make a difference in us winning or losing this year, might as well send him back down. Smart move imo. Won't be the last time we hear his name.— Stephen45
- A surprise to no one except the writers.— bobbyd24
- I find it hilarious how often Pinocchio gets lied to. The guy was all but guaranteeing that Laughton would stay according to his sources. I think they lie to him hoping that one day he'll just stop calling them, but more likely the dude is just so dumb he doesn't get he's their little misinformation puppet. — Stephen45
- Send him down. Send him away, next. He'll soon be another JVR. Watch.— dmn
