Laughton still looking for right fit with Flyers

Center Scott Laughton seemed out of place doing drills with Sam Dove-McFalls, David Kase, and Travis Konecny, among others, during the Flyers' development camp Thursday at the Skate Zone in Voorhees.

The latter three players, all 18 years old, were selected in the NHL draft last month.

Laughton, at 21, is in his fourth development camp since he was a first-round pick (20th overall) in 2012.

"I feel like the old guy here a little bit," Laughton, who appears more physically fit than last year, said with a smile.

Laughton wasn't offended when asked to join the younger players.

"It's been good. I'm still 21 years old and still learning a lot and developing my game," he said. "To be honest, I was pretty excited to come here to train with these guys and see all the new faces."

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Laughton divided last season between the AHL Phantoms (14 goals, 27 points in 39 games) and the Flyers (two goals, six points in 31 games). Laughton struggled with the Flyers before suffering a concussion after a brutal hit by Washington's Matt Niskanen last January. He continued to struggle when he returned and was quickly sent back to Lehigh Valley.

It took him a while to feel like himself with the Phantoms.

"After a couple of weeks, I felt better and started to play my game - and it was kind of the reason I got called up [earlier in the season]," he said. "It was definitely a tough couple of weeks, but I found my game again and ended the year on a good note."

His strong finish has him excited for training camp in September.

"I'm confident," he said.

New coach Dave Hakstol, making the transition from the University of North Dakota to the NHL, likes what he has seen of Laughton on video.

"Tenacious player who adds pace and adds grit," Hakstol said. "He's an exciting player as we look toward the future. We hope to see a nice step forward from him again coming to training camp."

With Hakstol aboard, Laughton said there is a "fresh start for everyone. Everyone starts at zero and you see where it takes you. It's definitely exciting."

There is a logjam at center, where the Flyers have Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, Vinny Lecavalier, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and they also acquired Sam Gagner from Arizona last month.

Schenn, Lecavalier, and Gagner can also play wing.

When the Flyers added Gagner, it didn't discourage Laughton, even though it's one less forward spot that is open. (Like Gagner, Laughton is from Oakville, Ontario.)

"I'm working as hard as I can, and that's all I can control," Laughton said. "I'm going to put my work boots on and try to make the team."

Added Laughton: "It's been a good week so far with the developmental guys - stickhandling, shooting, off-ice nutrition - there's a ton of things that go into this week, and a lot of guys are learning, for sure. . . . When I was at my first camp here, I was nervous, so I'm just trying to help these guys."

When training camp opens Sept. 17, Laughton will be focused. He said he spent too much time last year trying to beat players one-on-one in the neutral zone and, as a result, turned pucks over.

"A lot of my junior habits were creeping into my game," he said, adding he has simplified things, "trying to play a cycle game."