While pending unrestricted free agent center Scott Laughton has made it known that he’d like to stay with the Maple Leafs, Chris Johnston reported in a recent piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that the veteran likely won’t get his wish. At this point, it appears that there have yet to be any substantive discussions about Laughton extending his time in Toronto and with the demand for middlemen being quite high, a trade remains the likeliest outcome. With Philadelphia covering half of Laughton’s contract, his remaining $1.5MM cap charge is certainly affordable which should have the Maple Leafs in a strong position to land a strong return, even if it’s not quite as strong as the one they gave up to get him this time last year, headlined by a first-round pick.
Elsewhere in the East:
- While the Capitals have been sellers thus far, having moved veterans Nic Dowd and John Carlson, it appears they’re trying to be buyers as well. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that they showed interest in acquiring Conor Garland from Vancouver and that they are looking to add a piece before today’s 2 PM CT deadline. Cap space isn’t an issue for Washington as PuckPedia pegs them with an ability to add more than $26MM in contracts. The Caps find themselves four points out of the last Wild Card spot in the East so a mixed approach makes some sense if GM Chris Patrick feels his group could still get back into the mix.
- League executives have told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that center Stephen Halliday is someone to keep an eye on before the deadline. The 23-year-old has been fairly productive in limited minutes for the Senators, notching four goals and seven assists in 28 games despite barely averaging eight minutes a night of playing time. Waiver-eligible for the first time next season, Halliday is the type of player that rebuilding teams will often want to take a longer look at so if Ottawa can swing a move to add another piece before the deadline, he’s certainly a candidate to be part of the return.