To say the Toronto Maple Leafs needed to make a splash at the trade deadline is an understatement. The Atlantic Division has become extremely competitive and with teams making moves, they needed to bring in players that could push them forward in a postseason run. General manager Brad Treliving did just that as he acquired Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo.
While it was a big price to pay for both players, they were no doubt great additions that could prepare this team for what could be a tough playoff run no matter who their opponent will be. Both Laughton and Carlo have their upsides, which led to acquiring them from the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins, respectively.
12 games into their careers as Maple Leafs, one player has shown the play that fans have been familiar with in the past. While the other continues to take strides and adjust to his new team.
Carlo Doing Exactly What’s Expected of Him
The Maple Leafs could’ve used an upgrade to their third pairing, as the pair of Connor Timmins and Simon Benoit at the time really wasn’t cutting it. While the addition of a depth defenseman would’ve been a good move, the addition of Carlo far exceeded the expectations of what Treliving needed to do on defense.
Not only did you add a quality defender, you bolstered the top-four and added another reliable– and younger– defensive partner for Morgan Rielly as the team continued to find him a stable partner that can play and get results consistently with him. The Maple Leafs and their fans are quite familiar with Carlo’s play as a strong two-way, shut-down defender with his time with the Bruins as he was an effective player every time they met in the playoffs.
It was an adjustment period for Carlo as he had a rough debut against the Colorado Avalanche. Since then, he has been providing the play the Maple Leafs needed in order to be successful down the stretch and into the playoffs. He’s definitely more comfortable with Rielly now and you can notice it on the ice as the chemistry continues to grow.
So far, Carlo is already averaging 18:15 registering one assist, 18 hits and 24 blocked shots. In a small sample, he’s showing why he was brought in at the deadline. At five-on-five, he’s been on for seven goals against, but only for two high danger goals against. He’s on for 107 scoring chances against, with 32 high danger chances. He’s already excelling in minimizing the damage in front of the net and the high danger area, as he has done a great job to keep things to the outside and block out the danger in front of the net.
Related: William Nylander Giving Maple Leafs Bang for Their Buck
He’s always been known to be a tough defender who closes gaps on attackers very well and takes away time and space easily. Seeing him fit in with the way the Maple Leafs defense has adopted that same style play is very welcoming and beneficial as they will be tougher to play against. While it cost a first-round pick and Fraser Minten, having Carlo under contract for two more seasons at $3.485 million for what he does is a fantastic addition and it’s already starting to pay off. Defense always plays a big factor in the postseason and he’s a veteran defender with experience, can play big minutes and shut down top competition.
Laughton Slowly Finding His Game
It was well known that the Maple Leafs valued and kept circling back to Laughton, especially on deadline day. He was no doubt the ideal player that would’ve filled out the centre depth and bring that edge and secondary scoring to the bottom-six. Unlike Carlo, it took longer for Laughton to adjust and find his footing with the team as his impact and lack of production has been less than stellar until recently.
Now let’s be clear, Laughton was never going to be a top-six type of producer as he would chip in every now and then offensively. With only one goaland one assist in 12 games as a Maple Leaf, many still want to see more from Laughton as he has been inconsistent and not as impactful. Head coach Craig Berube stated that he’s been trying to play it safe, instead of playing his game which is being physically engaging and opportunistic.
However, over the last few games, Laughton has been more noticeable in terms of creating chances and finding his place on the roster. While he brings that depth up the middle, he’s more utilized on the wing and it seems like a move that’s paying off. With Max Domi finding another level to his game up the middle, Laughton is benefiting from his play as they’ve created great chemistry. Per MoneyPuck, there’s a stark contrast between Laughton on the wing and at centre. Here’s a breakdown of the line mates that he’s spent the most time with as a Maple Leaf.
| Laughton at Wing | Corsi For % | xG% |
| Robertson-Domi-Laughton | 58.3 | 57.1 |
| Lorentz-Kampf-Laughton | 51.4 | 55.6 |
| Laughton at Centre | ||
| McMann-Laughton-Domi | 32.1 | 44.4 |
| Lorentz-Laughton-Janrkrok | 15.4 | 16.7 |
It’s clear that Laughton is having much better success on the wing and is feeding off the chemistry he has created with Domi. They both play a similar style and Domi has another option to distribute the puck with Laughton creating the space that he needs. Laughton is definitely more noticeable as of late, especially against the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks despite the loses. He was more energetic, quick, physical along the boards and is a factor on the team’s forecheck. Those aspects make Laughton successful and that is becoming more noticeable.
It’s a positive sign that Laughton is starting to adjust more and get comfortable with a new team. Especially with the playoffs around the corner as his style of play can definitely translate to the intense moments that comes with it. He was the perfect fit for the team and with term on his contract, his two-way physical game is something that will thrive in this system and can pay off for the future.
Related: NHL Analyst Reports That Maple Leafs Will Wait Until the Offseason to Re-Sign Lorentz & Tavares
The additions of Carlo and Laughton definitely makes the Maple Leafs more competitive. While their impact wasn’t felt until a few games after their arrival, the two deadline acquisitions are showing exactly why they were brought in and how they can be effective for a playoff run.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and MoneyPuck.
