Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton wasn't blind to what was going on. As the clock inched closer to 3 PM Eastern time on March 8th, he awaited news of a trade. Rumors around his departure from the City of Brotherly Love circulated well ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. It certainly wouldn't be surprising if he ended the day preparing to skate with a new team.
However, a trade never materialized. Laughton remained a member of the Flyers once the 3 PM deadline came and went. Philadelphia's veteran center admitted to NHL.com that he breathed a sigh of relief. And he opened up about his initial reaction to remaining with his team.
“Always a little bit nerve-wracking time with all the rumors flying around, but very happy and grateful to still be here and be a part of this great group,” Laughton said, via NHL.com.
Scott Laughton trade rumors were nothing new
Scott Laughton trade rumors pre-date the 2023-24 NHL season. They were in full gear leading into the 2023 NHL Draft last June. In fact, the Flyers reportedly turned down late first-round picks around draft time. It's unclear whether the veteran center fetched similar offers at the NHL Trade Deadline. But it shows how highly valued he is within the organization.
It's not hard to see why. Laughton is a leader on the team, wearing the A on his sweater as an alternate captain. He isn't the most explosive offensive option in the world. He has 34 points in 70 games to this point in the year. But some within the team consider him to be the heart and soul of the Flyers.
“I think it's pretty well known he's such a presence in the locker room,” forward Morgan Frost said, via NHL.com. “Especially going into this run and trying to make the playoffs. It's obviously good to have him around. We have a lot of characters on this team but he's probably the main character.”
Flyers' Daniel Briere addresses deadline talk
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere understood the stance of his team. They wanted Scott Laughton around past the NHL Trade Deadline. To his credit, he took this stance to heart. He told Laughton he wasn't going to be traded unless Philadelphia received quite the haul.
“I wasn't going to trade him for fair value because he's more than fair value to us. The intangibles that he brings to the locker room is something that has no price. The other teams don't see that, but we do,” Briere said, via NHL.com.
The Flyers general manager admitted the interest in his veteran center was there. However, the offers never quite came close to enough for a trade. As a result, Laughton will attempt to help Philadelphia make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020.
“Makes me pretty emotional, to be honest,” Laughton said of the support from the locker room, via NHL.com. “To have that type of support from the room is amazing. I try and be the same guy every day for the guys, and the guy that people can lean on in different situations. So it means a lot to me and it's very special.”
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